Magenta Stripes
by Hanyou-Foxgirl
Summary: Sesshomaru justifies the whole thing by thinking: Really, had that unscrupulous hanyou no shame? Though even the great demon lord himself can't deny that things were getting a little... odd. Inu/Sess YAOI
1. Unexpected Situations

Chapter One: Unexpected Situations

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"Could you repeat that please?"

The sentence was spoken in disbelief, and the person who had spoke was practically gawking at the figure standing across from him. Inuyasha's eyes were widened, as his mouth was hanging open, just as his brow was furrowed in confusion. The rest of his group was staring in shock as well, Kagome going so far as to let out a slight gasp.

"I said," The figure who had caused all the surprise spoke again, clenching his fists and resisting the urge to grit his teeth. "I am in need of your assistance, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha could have fainted.

Then the humor of the situation dawned on him, and he let out a bark of laughter, clutching his stomach.

"You, the 'almighty Lord Sesshomaru'?" He mocked, chuckling heartily. "_You_, the one who swore that he would be the one to kill me, need _my_ help?"

This time Sesshomaru did grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes.

"Y-e-s." The word was spoken with great strength, and even to the humans it was apparent that it was taking all Sesshomaru's willpower to admit to the question.

Inuyasha wasn't sure what the demon lord could possibly want from him. The half-demon himself had simply smelt his scent coming in his general direction, and darted towards it, expecting a bloody battle that would (hopefully) end in Sesshomaru crying out for mercy.

_This_ however, was a complete surprise.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak (most likely a crude retort), but was cut off by his brother speaking again.

"It appears, that through a series of unexpected and unfortunate events that I have been stripped of my demonic abilities. I am . . . no better than one of your ningen companions now."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

And then Inuyasha scoffed, drawing his sword from its sheath easily.

"Yeah, sure. Geez, Sesshomaru, if you're going to think of a plan to try and steal the Tetsaisga, then come up with something more believable, will you?"

Sesshomaru didn't make a move, his facial expression only changing into a slightly more annoyed one. "Are you implying that you don't believe me?" He deadpanned, one of his fine silver eyebrows rising slowly.

Inuyasha wasted no more time then, raising his weapon and dashing towards his older brother.

"Prepare yourself Sesshomaru!" He called out, gaining speed. His brother didn't move, his eyes seeming to still be focused on the place he had been mere seconds ago. When the demon lord finally looked at his figure, Inuyasha was directly in front of him. His eyes widened a fraction, before he snapped back, making a motion towards Tokijin.

Inuyasha was confused.

His brother was _never_ this slow.

Regardless, he raised the Tetsaisga, preparing for a strike. Sesshomaru had just drawn his sword when he hit, and Inuyasha's eyes widened drastically when the sword flew out of his brother's hands from the impact.

The force of the blow had Sesshomaru reeling back, and Inuyasha found that he wasn't able to regain his balance, having moving faster than he normally would because he had assumed the raging force that was usually his brother would stop him with _his_ strike. Nevertheless, nothing came, and Inuyasha found himself colliding into the demon in an attempt to keep his sword from hitting his brother. If he was telling the truth, and he really _had_ lost all his strength, then it would be cruel to kill him as he was.

Both of the demons toppled over, Inuyasha able to catch himself before he completely collapsed on top of the daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru grunted underneath him and Inuyasha's amber eyes turned, staring down at him in disbelief. The demon simply laid there, a slightly pained look on his face. Inuyasha was kneeled over him on all fours, his eyes widened. Was Sesshomaru telling the truth? Highly confused, Inuyasha, set out to identify the cause of Sesshomaru's weakness. Tentatively, he leaned forward slightly and took a whiff of Sesshomaru's scent, attempting to smell something that he hadn't before. Sesshomaru's golden eyes stared up at him, narrowed slightly.

"Remove yourself from my person, half-breed." Sesshomaru spat. Inuyasha did so gladly, standing up and looking across the clearing to where Tokijin had landed.

"You... you were being serious!"

Sesshomaru stood elegantly, bringing a hand to the back of his platinum hair covered head, before quickly forcing it back down.

"Of course. This Sesshomaru does not deceive." He sounded annoyed once more, and the rest of Inuyasha's group watched the exchange with confused expressions.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what has happened to you?" Miroku asked, leaning forward on his staff.

"It is none of your concern, human."

"Not like you can talk, seeing as you can probably do less than _Kagome_ now." Inuyasha said, a teasing smirk on his face. Kagome frowned, Sesshomaru mimicking her actions.

"Well, at least tell us why you've sought out Inuyasha?" Miroku persisted, a serious expression crossing his face.

Sesshomaru's frown deepened, though he still seemed as stoic as ever.

"I need my younger brother's assistance, to apprehend the demonness who has made me like this."

Inuyasha scoffed once more, placing his arms in the sleeves of his haori.

"And why should I help you? What have _you_ ever done for me?"

"Now now, Inuyasha." Kagome scolded.

"Inuyasha has adequate reasons," Sesshomaru sighed, "For refusing my request." Sesshomaru looked up, his eyes finding Inuyasha's. "That is why, should you choose to assist me, I give you my word that I will . . . give up hope of stealing the Tetsaisga. I will also aid you, in your quest for the Shikon no Tama, and in defeating Naraku."

Inuyasha sneered.

"No frickin' way!"

"SIT BOY!"

Inuyasha slammed to the ground.

"Baka! We could really use Sesshomaru's help. You said yourself that you hadn't even smelt Naraku's scent in a while!"

The half demon jumped up when he was able, glaring at the miko.

"She's right, Inuyasha." Sango agreed. Miroku added his consents shortly after.

"Yes. With only a few shards of the jewel left to find, your brother's help would be extremely valuable."

Inuyasha scowled.

"Have you all forgotten about all the times he's attacked us? He almost _killed_ Kagome!"

Miroku crossed his arms.

"He's already proved that he can't do anything in the state he's in now. I hardly think we should be wary of him."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

Inuyasha sighed, taking it into consideration. Yes, having Sesshomaru on their side would be a great advantage in the fight against Naraku. However, did he _really_ want to wander around looking for some evil demonness all for the benefit of his brother? It would probably take them _weeks_ to find her, and they didn't have weeks. He was eager to find Naraku, and dispose of him like the trash he was.

Inuyasha turned to Sesshomaru, ready to reject his proposal again. However when he saw the state his brother was in he stopped.

Sesshomaru's head was bowed slightly, his bangs covering the tops of his eyes. He was staring at the ground, hand hanging idly at his side. There was a look in his eyes that Inuyasha recognized, though the rest of the demon lord's face betrayed nothing.

Defeat.

He let out a soft noise of confusion, before realizing what it would mean if he didn't help his brother.

He would be virtually useless. He wouldn't be able to protect the western lands, let alone his ward or that green little toad thing that was constantly following him around. And Kami only knew who would be coming after him once they learned of his weakness.

And Sesshomaru knew this.

Inuyasha's mouth clamped shut and his ears lowered, pressing against his head. Finally, he sighed loudly in exasperation. Perhaps his human side had more of an effect on him than he'd care to admit.

"Fine." Inuyasha breathed. Sesshomaru made no move, and after a moment of wondering, he realized that it was because he hadn't heard him.

His senses were affected as well?

"Fine." He said louder, wincing as Sesshomaru raised his head and found his eyes. "I'll... help."

"Inuyasha." Kagome said fondly, smiling.

Inuyasha coughed slightly, looking away from her tender gaze.

"B-But there will be rules!" Inuyasha exclaimed suddenly, pointing a finger at his older brother. "First off, this is _my_ pack, and therefore, you have to listen to what I say! Got it?"

Sesshomaru looked down.

"As you wish little brother."

Inuyasha lost some of his steam at his brother's open acceptance of his words.

"Er... yeah!" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So... where's that human and your toad thing?"

Sesshomaru nodded his head behind him, and on cue, Rin and Jaken stepped out from the trees at the back of him. Ah-Un followed shortly after. Rin, wanting to please her lord picked up the sword where it had fallen, carrying it to him eagerly. The demon lord was smart, making sure they stayed downwind. The two came to stand beside their lord, Jaken frowning grumpily.

"Are we staying with Lord Inuyasha, Lord Sesshomaru?" The girl asked curiously, carefully handing him Tokijin. The lord gave a small nod of confirmation while sheathing his sword. The toad thing grumbled.

"I still don't understand why we have to enlist the help of a half-breed."

Sesshomaru kicked him in the back of his head, looking slightly annoyed.

"You will not speak of my brother in such a way, Jaken."

Jaken stared up at his lord in surprise, as did everyone else in the clearing.

Inuyasha blinked.

Kagome's mouth was open in a small 'o' shape. Sesshomaru himself simply turned to Inuyasha.

"It would be in our best interests to begin our search."

Inuyasha blinked once more.

Sesshomaru looked at him flatly.

"The sooner I obtain my abilities, the sooner we can search for Naraku."

This seemed to snap Inuyasha out of his trance.

"Uh – Right. What did this demonness look like? Do you have her scent on you anywhere?"

Sesshomaru's face turned sour for a moment.

"...Hn. I imagine that there would be traces of her scent around my neck."

"Wha-? Your-" Inuyasha cut himself off, putting his hands up. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

He hesitated for a moment, before grudgingly stomping over to his older brother, placing his hands in his sleeves. He was standing in front of him, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Stand still." Inuyasha muttered.

The next few steps were painfully slow, and Inuyasha hated himself more and more the closer he got. Soon, he was standing shoulder to shoulder with his older brother, though in all actuality his only came to Sesshomaru's chest. He glared up at him defiantly. Sesshomaru matched his glare with one of his own. The pair was silent, and Sesshomaru let out a small breath of air before reluctantly tipping his head back and leaving his smooth neck completely bared. Inuyasha blinked at the move, his eyes landing on the pale flesh.

All of a sudden, the youkai in him snarled to be released. This was a clear sign of submission. And from his brother, no less. His instincts wanted him to... to, well, do something. He wasn't really listening to them.

He was, however, listening to his human side when it said that Sesshomaru was only giving him better access to catch the scent.

Inuyasha had to strain his head forward, leaning even closer to Sesshomaru in order to press his nose to the pale flesh on his neck. He snuffled a bit, making sure that he sorted Sesshomaru's smell from the more foreign one.

Though it was very difficult, with his youkai raging at him as it was. He really didn't understand what it was going so crazy over, this was _just_ Sesshomaru, after all.

However, all it seemed to recognize was that this was a powerful demon in front of him, baring his throat. He took another sniff, and with his nose pressed so close, he could've sworn he felt the Daiyoukai tremble slightly. The half-demon pulled back slightly, looking at his brother in confusion.

'_**Bite him.'**_

Inuyasha reeled back from the demon lord at his youkai's sudden request.

'_WHAT!'_

He threw himself back so violently that he fell onto the ground, and was staring somewhere in front of him in horror.

Sesshomaru glanced down at him curiously.

"..."

Inuyasha, after a moment, finally came to look at the demon once more, before turning his head away, feeling something akin to a blush coming on.

Oh, if Sesshomaru could hear his thoughts. He'd never let him live it down.

"Uh... Inuyasha?"

Kagome's voice snapped him out of his reverie, and her appearance seemed to calm his inner demon a bit. Grumbling, he stood, looking away defiantly.

"Alright, what did this chick look like?" Inuyasha mumbled, hoping that his little tumble would be forgotten. There was a pause, before Sesshomaru began to speak again.

"Her hair is orange. Brighter than your fox kit's. She is a fox demon, with large vulpine ear's and a tail. She is usually wearing a black kimono with yellow blossoms as a pattern. Her name is Chikotsu."

Inuyasha nodded, turning around, the customary scowl on his face. He had already forgotten about his youkai's little outburst.

He turned; beginning to walk out of the clearing they were standing in. He took a sniff, not finding her scent on the wind anywhere. The first thing to do was to get out of this forest. He heard the telltale footsteps of his friends following behind him, and frowned slightly as four new sets were added to the mix.

Was this _really_ the best idea?

He turned his head, looking back to Sesshomaru. There was something... different about him. His normal regal posture was disturbed slightly. His eyes normal cold gaze seemed to have melted, leaving only lukewarm shards of ice.

Inuyasha snorted.

But why would he care?

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

A gleeful voice called, breaking the silence.

"Rin picked this for you, while Master Jaken and I were waiting behind the bushes!"

The demon lord looked down at her wordlessly as she, grinning widely, held out a single, beautiful white flower. The two were lagging behind as they walked, and no one paid the girl's words much attention, seeing as it _was _Sesshomaru she was talking to. However, one person didn't ignore them, choosing to watch his brother warily.

Inuyasha watched the exchange out of his peripheral vision.

He inwardly snorted.

As if Sesshomaru would accept a gift such as that. He was... well, Sesshomaru.

Then the demon lord stopped his walking, kneeling down until he could reach Rin's level.

And, to Inuyasha's surprise, he allowed the small human girl to reach up and cheerfully tuck the flower behind one of his pointed ears. The demon lord looked ahead, seemingly satisfied when he saw that no one else had saw his temporary moment of weakness.

Well, almost no one.

The human girl grinned at her lord, tilting her head to the side slightly, before skipping ahead to play with Shippo.

Inuyasha continued to watch the Daiyoukai, his eyes widened slightly.

That was... odd.

He had never seen such a look in his brother's eyes. He almost looked... tender. As if that girl was the single most important thing to him in the world.

And she probably was.

He cursed inwardly when the demon lord noticed his stare, catching his gaze and narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"Do you find something interesting, hanyou?"

Inuyasha scowled at the name, muttering a simple 'Keh!' as he left to go walk by Kagome. He could care less what his brother did. If he wanted to walk all slow and get left behind, that was his problem.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" The miko asked, taking note of his furrowed brow. He turned to look at her, looking away abruptly afterwards.

"Keh, nothing's wrong. I just can't stand that bastard of a brother of mine."

Kagome frowned, bending forwards slightly so that he would pay attention to her.

"Inuyasha, I know that you and your brother have a history, but he needs your help! And he's even offering to help us defeat Naraku. You know that we can't afford to let a chance like this go! And he gave us his word!"

"His 'word' means nothing to me." Inuyasha spat, his eyes narrowing. Though he knew that wasn't true. In all of the years he'd known his cold, impassive brother, Sesshomaru had never broken a single promise.

That was what angered him.

And all the times _he'd_ gone to his brother for help, only to have been rejected with nothing more than a cold stare and even crueler remark. Although, that had all been when he was younger. Back then; all he had wanted was some sort of acceptance, or at least recognition from Sesshomaru, as his brother. He couldn't remember a single time that he had ever known any sort of brotherly affection. Though, he supposed, Sesshomaru had taught him in his own way.

Inuyasha recalled one occurrence, when he was so close to giving in and breaking, when he was hurt beyond repair from ignorant villagers, he had collapsed in the middle of the forest. And then, he could hear a cold voice, spitting insults.

"_Worthless Hanyou."_

Yet, when he woke up after falling unconscious, his wounds were tended to, a fire was lit beside him, along with a fresh kill lying next to his unconscious form.

With his brother's scent on the wind.

And all their battles. He knew that his brother was more than capable of destroying him, yet time after time their brawls would end with both of them intact, albeit severely injured. The time when his youkai blood had gotten the better of him, Sesshomaru had simply left, stating that it wouldn't be 'honorable' to kill him in that state. Moreover, before his mother had died and the villagers cast him out, his brother would visit if only to check to see if his 'worthless little brother' had died yet. He knew that the only reason for his scarce visits were to satisfy their father's spirit, but that didn't stop Inuyasha (when he was a child, mind you) from being any less cheerful. His big brother would never return the sentiments, choosing instead to glare and leave with cruel remarks that bit into the half-breed child's heart, which only wanted his big brother to love him.

Inuyasha shook the thoughts from his head, not wanting to recall memories of the past.

He was positive.

Sesshomaru was, always would be, a heartless bastard.

Kagome's face softened.

"Inuyasha, don't you wish to get along with your brother? This could be the thing that ends your fighting-"

"Sesshomaru and I will never stop fighting. We're destined to hate each other forever." He interrupted her angrily, beginning to walk ahead slightly.

She simply stared at the back of his head slightly, sadly, then looked back to Sesshomaru giving him the same look of pity. She was about to set her gaze back forward when she noticed the white flower resting in the demon lord's hair.

She blinked.

And then blinked again.

Her eyes followed Sesshomaru's line of sight, finding his gaze firmly locked on the small human girl, Rin.

A wide smile spread across her lips and she turned forward before he could catch her stare.

Perhaps Sesshomaru wasn't as bad as Inuyasha let off.

She would just have to get to know him more, that was all.

"Let's stop here, Inuyasha." Kagome spoke, moving to take her bag off her shoulders.

"What?" He shouted, turning around to argue. "We've hardly been walking for ten minutes!"

Kagome frowned, crossing her arms.

"Well, we were walking for hours before we found Sesshomaru! Take that into account."

Sango sighed, removing her boomerang from her back. "Yes, I am getting rather tired."

Miroku nodded, taking the opportunity to inch closer to the demon slayer.

The half demon all but snarled.

"Fine!" He yelled, more than upset at having his progress halted. "But you'd better be fixing ramen!"

With that, it was decided and they set up camp, Inuyasha grumpy as ever, mumbling comments under his breath about 'weak wenches'

A fire was started and they all sat around it, pleasant conversation starting in the group (with the exception of Sesshomaru), interrupted only once when Miroku's hands had decided to get a little _too_ intimate with Sango.

The sun was just starting to set.

The demon lord sat as well, watching Rin warily as she ran around with Shippo.

o0o

Kirara approached Sesshomaru slowly, crawling forwards on all fours, ears pressed down. Ah-Un was watching her carefully. At first, she growled lightly, remembering times when this demon had attempted to kill her pack leader. However, he seemed tame now, perhaps even a bit subdued as he sat there, ignoring her presence. She could sense just by his aura, that this was a very powerful demon, one that wasn't to be messed with.

Well. She didn't mind him, so long as he didn't try to hurt any of her friends.

She sauntered over to the demon lord on her tiny fur covered legs, rubbing against the side of his thigh, tenderly. She looked up at him, placing her front paws up on his leg, silently conversing with him.

Showing him her acceptance.

The demon lord stared down at her, understanding her words, though he'd never particularly cared for cats. Wordlessly he reached a hand up, absentmindedly petting the top of her head in a gentle caress. His kimono sleeve fell from his wrist slightly, revealing magenta marks striped across a pale wrist, spiraling down onto his hand.

"Kirara!" Sango called across the fire warily, noticing her and Sesshomaru's close proximity.

She mewled in response, leaving his side and bounding over to her cheerfully.

The demon lord took no offense.

Kagome warmed the ramen she had brought, handing it to Inuyasha once it was finished. She sighed slightly at his enthusiasm when he all but snatched it from her hands, rolling her eyes.

Nobody should be able to obsess over food as much as he did.

As everyone ate their dinner Kagome smiled, looking around at the warm atmosphere that seemed to be in the air. However, she frowned slightly when she noticed that the demon lord had nothing.

"Oh! Sesshomaru, would you like some—"

"I am not hungry." He spoke, eloquently cutting her off.

She blinked.

"Oh... well..."

"Let it go, Kagome." Inuyasha spoke, his mouth full of ramen. "Sesshomaru doesn't eat human food anyways. It's too lowly for a 'mighty demon lord like him'." He mocked, sticking his chopsticks into the box once more for another noodle filled bite.

"At least I know something of manners, half-breed." The demon lord said, almost tiredly, not even bothering to allow his narrowed gaze to meet his brothers.

Inuyasha swallowed his dinner angrily, jumping up from his seat.

"You wanna say that to my face, bastard!"

Kagome sighed.

Sesshomaru simply turned and looked at Inuyasha, his golden eyes slightly... dull.

"Inuyasha," He spoke, "I tire of your antics."

Inuyasha growled at this statement, pulling out the Tetsaisga slowly.

"Are you ignorant, half-breed, or did you simply forget that I cannot fight you like this?"

The statement poured from the demon lords lips elegantly, and Inuyasha hated him even more for this.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you right now, Sesshomaru!"

Everyone around the fire was quiet. This wasn't their fight.

Sesshomaru brought his eyes to meet his brothers, and Inuyasha felt his next words die in his throat as golden eyes met his.

"Because father would not want you to kill your older brother."

Inuyasha blanched.

"Wha-! Well then, what about all the times you tried to kill me, bastard!"

Sesshomaru sighed, tilting his head slightly to remove platinum strands of hair that had worked their way into his face.

"If I wanted to kill you, Inuyasha, I would have done so by now."

The Tetsaisga lowered to the ground as Inuyasha stared at his brother incredulously.

"You—!... You..."

"However I will not deny the fact that I resent you being born, half-breed. You are a taint in our family, but it remains that you are indeed father's child. Meaning that regardless of what I would prefer, we are related by blood ties."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, unsure of how to take Sesshomaru's words.

A silence fell around the camp, and Kagome's eyes darted back and forth between the two brothers nervously. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsaisga, turning on his heel and promptly walked away from the group.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's cry sounded behind him, and he could hear her feet scrambling to join him before another voice cut them off.

"Leave him be, miko."

As Inuyasha picked up speed, beginning to run away from the group, for once, he found himself grateful of Sesshomaru's presence.

And Inuyasha ran.

He ran until he could just barely smell everyone's scents, frowning unhappily at one of the newer ones. Rain, and ice. Sweet flowers mixed with something a bit more mild.

Sesshomaru.

His words troubled him.

"_If I wanted to kill you, Inuyasha, I would have done so by now,"_

Did that mean that all the times Sesshomaru had glared at him, drawn his sword and spoke of his loathing and disgust . . Sesshomaru never really intended to kill him? Was it just . . . some sort of warped training session his older brother had introduced, to avoid having to actually be around him all the time?

He scowled.

Well . . . where did that put them now? If they didn't want to kill each other, and they _still_ didn't want to try to actually be brothers, (definitely not, Inuyasha thought) then what were they? Rivalry was all he had ever known with Sesshomaru.

And he wasn't about to let that change.

He stood there a moment longer, looking up at the canopy of trees about him. Then Inuyasha sighed, putting his hands in his sleeves and glancing back to camp.

Kagome would be worried.

He dashed back, walking once he could see the fire in the distance and put on his customary scowl. Just because Sesshomaru didn't want to kill him didn't mean he had to start liking him.

"Inuyasha, are you okay?" Kagome asked, standing and gently placing a hand on his arm. His frown grew, and he shut his eyes in annoyance.

"Feh. Why wouldn't I be?"

Life at the campsite went back to normal then, Miroku being reprimanded by an angry demon slayer, Shippo and Rin laughing and playing games. Only Inuyasha seemed to be a bit disturbed, unable to keep himself from eyeing the demon lord every couple of seconds. He seemed as stoic as ever, eyes staring listlessly into the fire before him.

Deciding to get more comfortable, he proceeded to do his usual routine of jumping into the branches of the nearest tree, settling down and placing his hands in the sleeves of his haori. His eyes involuntarily flickered to Sesshomaru. He seethed as he watched him, eyes narrowed dangerously.

How he loathed him.

All these years . . . all these years, he had really believed that his big brother wanted to kill him.

Well it wasn't too far from the truth.

He sighed.

As long as they still hated each other that was fine with him.

He looked down at his brother once more, finding his head tilted to the side, causing all of his silver hair to spill over to one shoulder. Revealing the demon lords neck.

Inuyasha frowned slightly, recalling what had happened earlier.

"_**Bite him.**_**"**

That was... weird.

He figured it would be best to delete it from his memory.

* * *

**Foxgirl**: So yes! This was my first multi-chaptered yaoi story. It starts out kind of crappy, but my writing style does improve with time! Then it probably gets crappier as I struggle to keep up with my updates. D: Anyway, I plan on going through and re-editing it a little, as I found a bunch of little mistakes that piss me off. Hope you enjoy!

**Vixen**: Review please.


	2. Insanity and Horror

Foxgirl: Thank you so much to the people who reviewed! I really didn't think people would like this story . . . so thanks a lot! ^_^  


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Chapter Two: Insanity and Horror  


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Morning came too quickly to everyone, it seemed, except for Rin. She was up and about as soon as Kagome had woken her up, giggling cheerfully about how beautiful the day was. Sesshomaru was standing beside her, stopping her from running _too_ rampant this early. Shippo groggily walked towards Kagome's bike, lazily flopping into the basket once he reached it. The flower had long been removed from Sesshomaru's hair, and all of a sudden, Rin was pledging to him that she'd find him another one, better than the first even.

Sesshomaru simply offered her a soft, 'Hn'.

That was enough for Rin.

Jaken stayed close to his lord, not wanting him to be 'dirtied' by the human's presences.

And Ah-Un was happy to be carrying Rin, as she 'ooh-ed and ahh-ed' at all the 'pretty shapes' the clouds were making.

Soon they were leaving their camp behind, continuing on their way.

Inuyasha took another sniff on the wind. This time, he did smell something. It was faint, and far away, but he was certain that he could smell that demonness (Chikotsu, was it?), somewhere towards the east.

The group took their normal positions, Kagome and Inuyasha in front, with Shippo riding in the basket on her bike.

Oddly enough, Kirara chose to walk beside demon lord.

Sango made no protest, but kept an eye on the two-tailed cat, aware that Ah-Un was doing the same thing.

They were walking for a while before Inuyasha realized that Kagome was getting tired.

This annoyed him greatly, as really, Sango wasn't that weak, and she was a human female as well.

"How far away is the next village, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, shifting her weight, as her feet had begun to hurt.

Inuyasha took a sniff of the air, and grimaced slightly.

"I'd say a little farther from here."

Kagome sighed softly, continuing to press forward.

Suddenly she felt something, in the corner of her mind. A small tugging feeling, one that was very familiar...

She looked to her left, frowning slightly.

"I sense a shard of the Shikon jewel."

The whole group came to a halt.

"Where, Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded, turning his head in the direction she was looking.

"It's coming from over there . . ."

Immediately Inuyasha was off, using his nose to find whatever host the shard might be using. He heard Kagome's demands behind him to wait up, but paid them no mind, focusing on the task at hand. Sango and Miroku jumped onto Kirara, and Kagome herself began peddling furiously on her bike, almost knocking Shippo out of the basket. Sesshomaru (after much consideration on his part) climbed gracefully onto Ah-Un, and sat there as the dragon raced after it's new pack leader. Jaken grabbed onto its tail, holding on for dear life as Rin clenched a fistful of its mane in her small hands.

Locating the demon was easy enough, as it wasn't attempting to run, or hide. However, it didn't seem to have a scent, and the only thing that made it easy to get to was the fact that it was so . . . odd.

It was large, and appeared to be pulsating violently, odd gurgling sounds coming out of its mouth. It was slowly turning a blue color, and it's arms and legs were flailing around madly as it's whole body seemed to be getting... bigger. Though it was trying _very_ hard to take a swipe at him, Inuyasha noticed amusedly, as it was failing miserably. Once the other's caught up with the half-demon, Kagome, while gasping to catch her breath breathed something about the shard being in the center. Inuyasha nodded, drawing his sword and preparing to take it out in one swing.

"Inuyasha, I would not be so rash, if I were you." Sesshomaru spoke, brushing a few strands of hair behind a pointed ear.

Inuyasha sneered, glancing back at his brother. "Whatever." He said, brushing the comment off and racing towards the demon. Sesshomaru's eyes widened a fraction, and, in an uncharacteristic moment of panic, he reached out a hand frantically.

"Don't-!"

The Tetsaisga sliced cleanly through the demon's middle.

Everything was silent, for a moment.

And then, the demon let out a bloodcurdling cry and promptly exploded.

Sending blue gunk absolutely everywhere.

"Wah-!"

Everyone stood there dumbfounded for a moment, before it finally seemed to register that they were covered in demon guts.

"Ah! Gross!" Kagome squealed.

Sango let out a noise of disgust.

Miroku spat repeatedly, attempting to remove the goo that had landed inside his open mouth.

Shippo ran around screaming, and Rin, seeing Shippo, decided to do the same.

Kirara shook herself violently, sending even _more_ of the blue stuff onto everyone.

Ah-Un appeared to be unaffected.

Sesshomaru simply picked up a lock of his hair, staring at its blue-covered state in annoyance.

Inuyasha blinked, looking down at the fire-rat robes in surprise.

". . . Huh?"

"It would do you well to _listen_ next time, half-breed." Sesshomaru hissed, wiping his hand on his chest armor in disgust. Inuyasha looked over and glared at him. Everyone else grumbled their agreements, attempting to remove some of the gunk from their clothes.

"Shut up." The half-demon seethed, turning and beginning to walk away. "Come on." He ordered.

"Inuyasha! This stuff is disgusting!" Kagome complained, attempting to wring the gunk out of her hair.

"I know!" He shouted, wincing when some dripped into his eye. "I'm gonna try and find someplace to get this crap off!"

Kagome groused some more, climbing stickily onto her bike. Kirara reluctantly allowed Sango and Miroku to hop onto her back. Sesshomaru silently ordered Ah-Un to follow the group, and the dragon (after letting Rin clamber onto his saddle) obeyed. Inuyasha crossed his arms grumpily, his sensitive ears picking up the complaints of his pack. He began to growl softly when he heard Kagome mention that, perhaps if he had just _listened_ to his brother . . .

A scowl settled onto his face.

That's when it became apparent.

This was _not_ going to be a good day.

Five minutes later Inuyasha was able to locate a small river running through a clearing, rolling his eyes at everyone's (except for Sesshomaru's) sigh of relief. The body of water was U-shaped, they could see, with the other half behind a small group of trees.

"Girl's will bath over here." Kagome declared, pointing to one side of the brook.

The men (and in Shippo's case, boy) of the group had no complaints trudging over to their side of the water happily, Ah-Un following after. It would be nice to feel clean again. It seemed that Jaken (who had been standing behind Ah-Un at the time) was the only one who hadn't gotten covered in demon guts. He chose to rest beside the two-headed dragon, secretly watching his lord as he removed his garments. (A/N: XD Jaken's a closet pervert.)

Sesshomaru came to the edge of the river, unwrapping Mokomoko-sama from around his shoulder. It became much longer as he let it fall, making a soft 'thump' noise as it hit the ground. After that, he proceeded to remove his armor, undoing the clasps and pulling the chest plate off of his torso. He tugged at the place where his haori closed, causing it to slide down and expose one of his shoulders. The pale color of his face continued down his elegant neck, only adding to his already tempting appearance. He removed his right arm from his sleeve, using it to drop his haori over his other shoulder. With his arm, he removed the piece of clothing, somehow managing to let it hang gracefully over his forearm.

Miroku, who had already gotten in the water was watching the demon lord with fascination.

He was lean, with a taut stomach and well defined muscles. The flat planes of his abdomen dipped tantalizingly into the bottom part of his outfit, fine silver hair barely noticeable just below his navel. More of those magenta tinted streaks were splashed across his belly, arching in a curved line of color. Sesshomaru then proceeded to untie his purple and yellow obi, catching the cloth before it billowed to the ground.

Inuyasha removed the robe of the fire rat, opting to keep his pants on as he waded into the water, finding that it only came to above his belly button. He dunked the article of clothing under the water for a bit, making sure that all the gunk was completely removed. Once that was finished, he took in a breath, slipping under the water and attempting to wash his hair, running his claws through the silver tresses repeatedly. When he surfaced for air, the first thing he saw was his brother.

Sesshomaru was washing his hair as well, it seemed, though he was doing it in a manner that was slightly more... alluring. Hs arm was raised, a clawed hand stroking platinum-colored locks from his hairline back to remove the filth. Water was streaming down his form in tiny rivulets. After a moment, the demon brought his hand back to the water, cupping it, before bringing it back up, pouring the liquid directly onto his head.

Inuyasha sneered, crossing his arms.

"You're not gonna accomplish much if you do it that way."

Sesshomaru turned his head, glancing at his brother while almost _caressing_ the skin on his neck to remove more blue goo. The half-demon blinked.

Inuyasha's eyes involuntarily followed the demon lord's hand, lips parting slightly when it went lower, to his shoulders. It took him a moment to realize that his brother was shirtless, his lithe body appearing to shimmer because of the water droplets. The clawed appendage continued its trek, skirting its way down the Daiyoukai's chest, before eventually coming into contact with the water once more.

The half-demon blinked when it disappeared out of sight, realizing that he had been staring.

He scowled slightly, feeling a blush coming on. He hadn't _meant_ to. It was _Sesshomaru's _fault, yes, of course it was. It's not like he _wanted_ to stare at the bastard, he was just too damn _girly_-

It took Inuyasha another moment to notice that Sesshomaru was talking.

"I wo . . .ld . . . . fe . . . . ot . . t . eave .. . .. tangles in my hair."

The half-demon blinked. "Uh. . ."

He hadn't been listening.

Sesshomaru went back to ignoring him, bringing more water up and dumping it onto his shoulders.

Inuyasha watched as a small droplet ran down the demon lord's skin, dipping into the curve of his back before joining the river again. This time the half-demon _did_ blush, tearing his eyes away. What was he so flustered over? It was _just_ Sesshomaru, after all. His brother, and a _guy_ no less, even if he did look like a girl.

Amber eyes decided to turn to Miroku, opening his mouth to ask the monk a question before closing it abruptly and narrowing his eyes.

It seemed Miroku was watching the demon lord as well, eyes unabashedly raking their way down his back.

Inuyasha punched him.

Hard.

"Wha-? Inuyasha, was that really necessary-"

"What the hell is wrong with you!" The half-demon cut him off, whispering furiously.

Miroku blinked. "Uh . . . well, your brother _is_ very feminine."

He looked back at the demon, finding him wading gracefully back to the bank to grab his clothes.

"I wonder if Sango would be upset if I-"

Here Inuyasha cut him off, pushing him under and holding him there.

"I don't wanna hear it!" He shouted, ignoring Shippo's frantic requests to let Miroku come up for air.

Yes, not a good day indeed.  


* * *

Soon everyone was content (and all squeaky clean) and they were on their way once more. Chikotsu's scent didn't appear to be getting any closer, though Inuyasha could clearly smell it now. Rin, after getting permission from Sesshomaru, had run ahead to pick some flowers in the field that was getting ever nearer, giggling cheerfully as she chose the one that she thought would look best on the Daiyoukai. Sesshomaru himself, only watched her out of his peripheral vision, making sure that no harm befell her. Yes, everyone seemed to be entertaining themselves well enough, Sango slapping Miroku (once again) as he began to get a little _too_ friendly.

Sesshomaru hadn't put his armor back on, finding that without his inhuman strength it only served to drag him down. So, he had kept it draped over Ah-Un's saddle, and was now feeling considerably better.

However, Inuyasha, was currently going through something akin to a midlife crisis.

Why the _hell_ had he stared at Sesshomaru while he was bathing? He closed his eyes, attempting to blink away his troubles.

It really wasn't his fault. Nope. Definitely, all his brother.

'I mean really,' He considered, eyes still closed as he talked to himself inwardly. 'Who would bathe and not expect people to stare when they look so damn _appealing_-'

After _that_ thought the poor hanyou lost his footing, and swiftly fell flat onto his face.

All was silent.

"Inu . . . yasha?"

Inuyasha sat up silently, looking down at the ground in wonder. He had barely heard the miko say his name curiously.

What had just happened? Had he . . . did he _trip?_

Shippo's laughter broke him out of his reverie, and he growled at the fox kit before promptly hitting him, shutting him up.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded.

Inuyasha ignored her, standing and feeling himself blushing slightly at everyone's stares.

"What're you all staring at!" He snapped, turning and continuing to walk down the path.

Sango and Kagome exchanged a look, but said nothing.

Inuyasha furiously tried to block out his thoughts, not wanting even _try_ to explain to himself why he had been so . . . _observant_ of his brother earlier. Not if he was going to think things like _that_.

'Stupid Sesshomaru.'

He turned his head slightly, glaring at the demon lord. After all, _he_ was the reason he had tripped.

'Bastard.'

Sesshomaru ignored him.

Inuyasha (careful to watch the ground in front of him this time) continued walking, keeping a nose out for Chikotsu's scent. The sooner Sesshomaru left, the better. He breathed in deeply, searching for something he hadn't noticed before, when, abruptly, the smells of humans reached his nose.

"Oi. There's a village coming up." He reported, knowing that Kagome would be pleased with this news. The miko clapped her hands together, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Great! We can stay at an inn tonight!" She grinned widely at the thought of sleeping on something other than the ground. The end of the forest appeared shortly after her little outburst, the sky growing slightly brighter, now that a canopy of trees didn't block it.

Meanwhile, in the back of the group Sesshomaru was seething in silent anger.

It was enough that he had to travel with these _worthless_ creatures (except for Rin. . . . /sigh/ alright, _and_ Jaken), but now he was expected to stay in a human village? They didn't deserve to reside in his presence. He growled softly, unaware that he was making any noise. Usually he was able to control his emotions, but it seemed that with his demonic abilities the vulpine demon had also taken his willpower. Even now, he was barely able to put a foot in front of the other. Chikotsu had stolen his skill's four day's ago now. He had been walking since then. And, because he didn't possess the strength and speed he normally did, he was unable to catch food to eat, either. Luckily, Rin had kept some fish from the last time they made camp so _she_ didn't go hungry . . .. He didn't want to admit it, but overwhelming relief had flooded his systems when he finally found his brother. Though disgust was mixed in there as well. The bath earlier had been a welcome reprieve, even if it was shared with a monk and a half-breed. The fox kit he didn't mind as much, though he _was_ annoying. He could understand his brother's desire to hit him every once in a while, though Sesshomaru himself would _never_ give in to such a brash desire.

The demon lord sighed, ignoring his aching muscles as he simply continued to follow Inuyasha's lead, as much as he hated doing so. His youkai didn't _mind_ being the beta in the pack (and he _was_ the beta, as he was _definitely_ the second strongest now. Even if his senses didn't work, he was _still_ Lord Sesshomaru, and he would make due without his abilities. For now.), in fact, it almost _relished_ the thought of being able to rely on someone _else_ for a change, but . . . it was _Inuyasha_. He refused to succumb to a lowly half-breed. Though, it appeared, he didn't have much of a choice.

Inuyasha smirked when he heard the low growling of his brother. Ah, how he loved to aggravate him.

Soon, the village gates were approaching and the humans of the group let out a collective sigh of relief.

The group slowed when saw two guards posted at the entrance.

"Halt!" One of them commanded, secretly relieved when they obeyed.

He was new.

"What is your business here?" The second one asked, eyeing Sesshomaru warily.

"We just need someplace to stay tonight!" Kagome quickly answered, stepping in front of the half-demon so he didn't say anything stupid.

Inuyasha frowned.

The guards were silent for a moment, debating. And then,

"Alright, we'll grant you entrance. However, the demons can't go in. We've had enough problems with _their kind_ as of late."

Kagome frowned slightly, looking back to Inuyasha.

"Er, but . . ."

"It's fine, Kagome." Inuyasha grumbled, slipping his hands into the sleeves of his haori.

"But-"

"I said it's fine!"

At his outburst, she realized that arguing would get them nowhere, and, after one more doubtful glance his way, she reluctantly began to step inside the village. Sango and Miroku followed, sparing a glance back towards their hanyou companion. The demon slayer looked down at Kirara, about to ask her if she would be okay when she noticed that the two-tailed cat was already strolling over to Sesshomaru, standing by his side as if it were perfectly natural. She glanced at the demon lord, but allowed it. Kirara could take care of herself.

Shippo wailed about being left behind, but took it all in stride, attempting to be a 'big boy' for the miko.

"Rin wants to stay with Lord Sesshomaru!"

Everyone in the group snapped around to look at the human girl, Kagome looking at her worriedly.

"You're going to let that child stay _alone_ in the company of a demon!" The new guard half shouted. He quieted when Sesshomaru's cold eyes reach him.

The demon lord inwardly smirked. At least he had the simple pleasure of this human's fear. Sesshomaru then turned his eyes to Kagome, giving her a look that clearly entailed what he wanted from her.

She was to take care of Rin.

Any mistakes, and she died.

So what if he didn't have his strength? He had fangs and claws didn't he!

Hell, he'd get Jaken to kill her.

Kagome nodded shakily, as if she had heard the thought process his mind was going through.

Then the Daiyoukai glanced down at Rin.

"Rin. Stay with the miko. She will take care of you for tonight." He spoke.

Rin looked up at him, a frown marring her features.

She didn't like it, but . . . she knew better than to disobey her lord.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru."

She walked over to the teenager, allowing her to take her hand, sending one last look back at him.

He simply nodded.

Inuyasha sighed in frustration as he watched Kagome walk away. Well. At least she had Sango and Miroku...

He turned back his head, narrowing his eyes at his older brother.

Great.

Now he was stuck with _him_.

Well, Kirara and the two-headed dragon were there. As well as Jaken and Shippo. But it was _still_ Sesshomaru! He grumbled a bit, beginning to walk away from the group.

"We'll camp out over here." He muttered, walking to the end of the forest. He wanted _some_ sort of cover. If a demon came, he wasn't about to protect his brother's ass, nor his little toad thing.

. . . _Especially_ his little toad thing.

They walked about fifteen feet in, stopping when the half-demon found a tree that was suitable to his liking.

He bound up the branches, settling down on one that was comfortable, and busied his self with staring out into the forest.

o0o

Shippo watched Sesshomaru out of the corner of his eyes, slightly scared of the demon.

Scratch that.

He was _terrified_.

And _Rin_ wasn't even here. He fiddled with one of his toys nervously, dropping it when Sesshomaru's gaze turned to him.

"Fox kit." He spoke, his words rolling out of his mouth eloquently.

"Uh – er – yea, um—yes?" Shippo stuttered, not wanting to anger the Daiyoukai.

" . . . What is your name?"

Shippo blinked. He was quiet for a moment, processing the demon's request. Why in the world would he want to know his name?

"It's . . . It's Shippo . . ." He said quietly, still quite nervous. Sesshomaru sighed.

"You possess fox magic, do you not?"

Shippo blinked again.

". . . yes?"

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment, and Shippo realized that he wanted him to elaborate.

"Er, well, I can use fox fire . . . oh! And I can do this thing with this talisman – even _Inuyasha_ fell for it when I used it on him! You're stuck there, and you can't move until I take it off, and I can also make this top get _really_ _big_-"

The demon lord sighed once more. Because of Chikotsu, he couldn't smell the kit's fear. But he could _feel_ it, rolling off the kid in waves. He wasn't going to be able to relax if the young demon couldn't even sit still around him. Not to mention that his stomach was _burning_ since he had eaten recently.

"And I can also transform into all sorts of things-!"

Sesshomaru found that now (because of Rin, he was sure) he found incessant chatter quite . . . calming. Except when it was coming from Jaken, of course. Even now, with this . . . Shippo, he could feel his body calming. After a second, he realized that the demon had stopped talking, and decided to bait him again.

"What is my half-brother to you?"

Shippo paused for a moment, contemplating, before starting up another rant, crossing his arms knowingly as he spoke.

"Inuyasha can be quite an idiot sometimes. But I've gotten used to it-"

The demon lord was almost . . . amused.

Almost.

Up in the tree, Inuyasha was growling slightly at Shippo's words. He was _not_ an idiot!

And why the hell was Sesshomaru talking to Shippo in the first place?

He listened for a while longer, watching as the sun began to lower in the sky. His ears twitched slightly when he realized that no more sound was coming from below. He looked down, to see Shippo sleeping soundly against Kirara.

He snorted.

Well at least he didn't have to deal with him.

"INUYASHA!"

He turned his head in the direction of the noise, recognizing it as Kagome's voice. He hopped down from the tree, exchanging a glance with Kirara to make sure she could handle things (Since Ah-Un was there he figured it would be alright. . . . though, the only person he cared about getting hurt was Shippo. Because he didn't want to get sat. Mostly.) before darting off towards the sound. He felt just like a faithful little puppy, running back to its master.

Inuyasha scowled at the thought.

Once he reached Kagome, he found her holding out a cup of ramen, along with some food that she had probably gotten from the villagers.

"I brought you guys some food..." She said, trailing off and blushing slightly. Inuyasha resisted the urge to smile, taking the food from her gently.

"You didn't have to go through the trouble. Shippo would've lived, and Sesshomaru doesn't eat human food anyways."

Kagome smiled softly. "I know but . . . I wanted to."

This time, Inuyasha grinned softly. "Feh. Baka." The comment was made lightly, and Kagome smiled. "You should be getting back to the others now." Inuyasha said, turning his eyes away from hers. Kagome's grin grew, and she waved, turning and jogging back towards the village.

"Alright. Goodnight, and, Inuyasha?"

The half-demon caught her gaze once more.

"Yea?"

"Make sure Sesshomaru eats something, okay?"

He didn't have time to argue as she ran off.

The half-demon rolled his eyes.

She was too damn considerate for her own good.

Inuyasha watched her until he was sure she was safe inside the village gates, before turning around and walking back to the forest.

He wasn't sure how he felt about Kagome. He knew that he had loved Kikyo, but was this emotion love? He sighed, deciding to twist his thoughts away from the matter and think of something else.

A low groan came out of his mouth when his mind immediately turned to his brother.

Too many questions!

He already explained _clearly _to his inner self that it was _Sesshomaru's _fault he was staring.

Inuyasha vaguely thought he heard someone snort.

'**Yeah, 'cause **_**that's **_**believable.'**

The half-demon stopped, growling darkly at his youkai.

'Well who asked _you_?'

It laughed.

'**I thought you were having problems, puppy! I just wanted to help.'**

'I am _not _a puppy!' A pause. 'And I don't want your help!'

'**Hm, even if you don't want it you **_**badly **_**need it. Listen to the excuses you're making! "It's **_**Sesshomaru's**_** fault"?'**

It quoted, a mocking air about its tone.

Inuyasha scowled.

'Shut up!"

'**Really though, I get the whole staring thing. Sesshomaru **_**can **_**be very tempting.'**

Inuyasha placed his hands on his head, shaking it violently.

'NO! What the hell are you talking about?'

'**Oh please, like **_**you**_** weren't thinking the same thing when you saw him all wet-'**

"Gah!"

The half-demon felt his cheeks burning as he scowled at the memory. So what if the demon looked . . . good. _He_ didn't care. _He_ liked women, Kagome, specifically. He took in a breath, attempting to calm himself.

Think of Kagome.

Think of _Kagome_.

Soft, black hair tumbling down her back. Wide brown eyes, enchanting laugh, long, pale legs-

'**Enticing form accented by streaks of magenta, alluring hips dripping with water and **_**gorgeous**_** platinum-colored hair-'**

'Get out of my fantasy!'

Inuyasha all but screamed inside his head, trying hard to force the image of a dripping Sesshomaru out of his mind.

This was his _brother_ for Kami's sake!

'**It is common for some youkai to mate within their families-'**

'Who said anything about _mating_?'

After that, he drove his youkai as _far_ back into his thoughts as he could, content when it didn't try to speak to him again.

It was clearly insane.

He shook his head as he came upon the others, noticing that Shippo had fallen asleep.

He gave Kirara a roasted fish out of the food that Kagome had given him, handing something similar to the two-headed dragon. He noticed that Sesshomaru's toad was asleep as well and felt grateful. He really didn't want _any_ sort of contact with it. Next, he turned to his brother, scowling scornfully.

He was leaning against a tree (in fact, the same tree he had been laying in earlier dammit!), eyes closed, revealing twin streaks of magenta coloring.

"Hey." Inuyasha muttered, addressing him haughtily.

Sesshomaru didn't stir.

Inuyasha, figuring that he was ignoring him, rolled his eyes.

The grass rustled beneath his feet as he walked closer.

"I'm only talking to you for _Kagome's sake_, got that?" He said, making sure his brother was sure that under any other circumstances, this conversation would not be happening.

The demon lord said nothing.

"Hey! Say something bastard!" Inuyasha growled, tired of being disregarded.

All was silent.

The half-demon's eyes narrowed, and he stomped over to the Daiyoukai, bending over so that his face was directly in front of his brother's.

"Stop ignoring me!"

He began to growl slightly when Sesshomaru made no move to acknowledge his comments. His hand moved of it's own accord, fisting into the hair on the back of his brother's head and bringing him closer.

'**Yes. Make him submit.'**

Inuyasha was about to comment (well, more like shout about) on his youkai's behavior recently, when Sesshomaru's lips parted slightly and he exhaled, sending a soft puff of heat onto the half-demon's face.

Inuyasha blinked.

The Daiyoukai's head seemed to relax in his hands, and (finally) he noticed that Sesshomaru was asleep.

He let go of his brother's hair quickly, letting his head drop the short distance back until it met the bark of the tree again.

Inuyasha was dumbfounded.

His brother _never_ slept.

Well, as far as he knew.

'**He is weak. That's why he went to **_**us.**_**'**

Inuyasha mulled over his youkai's words. Whatever had went on between his brother and this _Chikotsu_, had left him defenseless. And it seemed, that Sesshomaru realized he wouldn't be able to stop her on his own. He turned his gaze back to the demon in front of him. The half-demon then realized with a start, that his face was still in front of his brother's. Sesshomaru's head was angled down slightly, and they were close. _Too_ close for comfort, Inuyasha decided, as he could feel the demon as he exhaled, heating his face. It was just all around an awkward situation.

He was about to move back, when Sesshomaru began to stir.

Inuyasha froze.

Then inhaled sharply, making a noise that the Daiyoukai was sure to hear, even _with_ his decreased hearing.

And indeed he did.

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open and his head immediately tilted upward, so quickly that Inuyasha was barely aware that he had moved.

The half-demon froze when he felt the demon lord's lips connect with his.

Amber met amber as they looked into each other's eyes, the same look residing in both.

Horror.


	3. Of Fox Demons and Same Sex Partners

Foxgirl: I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story, I was really afraid that no one would like it, or worse, not understand my sense of humor. :D I have mixed feelings about this chapter . . . but I'll let you guys decide, hmm?

* * *

Chapter Three: Of Fox Demons and Same Sex Partners  


* * *

Inuyasha's mind was racing at a hundred miles a minute.

Who knew that someone's lips could be so . . . _soft?_

Needless to say, his youkai was thrilled.

They both seemed to come to their senses at once, Sesshomaru ripping his head away and Inuyasha jumping back a few feet. The hanyou swiped his arm across his jaws, spitting on the ground afterwards.

The demon lord simply brought a hand to his mouth, touching two fingers to his lips and narrowing his eyes darkly.

Inuyasha glared. "What the hell did you do that for!?" He shouted (softly). Their antics didn't seem to disturb anyone at their little camp.

Gracefully, the Daiyoukai stood. He was staring at Inuyasha with a venom that surprised the half-breed.

"_Inuyasha._" He growled, poising his claws.

"I-It's not like it's my fault!" The half-demon rebutted. He took notice of Sesshomaru's claws and snorted. "And what are you gonna do? You're as weak as—hey!"

Sesshomaru, moving with a speed that he _shouldn't_ have possessed, lunged towards his brother, swiping his claws at Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha, who hadn't been expecting the move only had enough time to move his head back. Sesshomaru's growling didn't stop, and he attempted to claw at his brother again, though this time the half-demon was prepared. He moved a step back away from Sesshomaru. A smirk graced his face for a moment, before realizing that his brother's reach was longer than he thought. His claws barely brushed past his cheek, and the demon lord his self collided into the half-demon sending them both crashing to the forest floor.

Everyone remained asleep.

Inuyasha growled as Sesshomaru continued to try and dismember him. He grabbed his hands, struggling to control his older brother. He glanced at his face, noticing that the corners of his eyes were tinged red.

It appeared that his brother's youkai was struggling to regain control of his body. And it was _angry_.

Inuyasha (secretly scared that his brother would _succeed_ in his attempts to claw his face off,) flipped them over so that he was on top, straddling his waist and holding his brothers hands above his head. Which was probably only possible because Sesshomaru was so weak.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked scornfully, keeping his voice low, so as not to wake anyone. "You're the one who . . . Sesshomaru?"

The demon's lord's eyes were bleeding crimson now, though the youkai appeared to be struggling to remain in control. He was shaking his head wildly, baring his fangs at the half-demon. Inuyasha was having trouble keeping him down, which was odd, seeing as he didn't possess his strength any longer. Inuyasha 'eep!'ed slightly as his struggling grew wilder, forcing Inuyasha to use even more effort to restrain him.

Finally, the demon lord calmed, breathing heavily and looking up at the half-demon with a glint in his crimson-colored eyes.

"**I had thought that **_**you**_**, of all people would be able to resist this Sesshomaru's charm, but it seems even my little brother is tempted by me." **

Inuyasha blinked.

Sesshomaru's voice sounded . . . different. Rougher, maybe. Then, his brain seemed to register the demon lord's words and he blushed darkly, scowling.

"W-What!" He shouted, before lowering his voice, remembering that everyone was still sleeping. "No! _You_ kissed _me_!"

Sesshomaru smirked. Inuyasha noticed that his markings looked slightly more ragged as well.

"**So are you saying that you don't find me appealing? I know that to be false. Come now, did you honestly believe that I didn't catch your staring back at the river?"**

Inuyasha scowled. "Wha-! O-of course not! Bastard! And I wasn't staring!" He spat, attempting to cover up his burning face by glaring. Inuyasha was finding that he didn't care much for Sesshomaru's inner demon.

The demon lord's smirk grew.

"**Hmm."** He purred. **"Are you sure? I'm positive that your youkai would tell me otherwise."** Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side slightly, before slowlyand deliberately grinding his hips upwards against Inuyasha.

"Ah--!"

The half-demon's breathing increased slightly, and he frowned.

Then he blanched, clamping his mouth shut and immediately jumping off his brother and as far away from him as he could possibly get.

Sesshomaru chuckled, before the last of the red disappeared from his eyes, and now golden orbs blinked slowly.

Inuyasha set to darting back up into his tree. He couldn't ever remember blushing so much in his life. And he was horrified to admit that Sesshomaru was _right_.

Right before he had jumped off his older brother, he could clearly hear his youkai _moaning_ softly inside his head.

o0o

Sesshomaru sat up, slightly confused. One minute he had been trying to tear his little brother's head off, the next, he was on his back. He frowned, remembering that his youkai had come forth.

But thought that it had to be a good sign. From what he could understand of Chikotsu's spell, she was locking away his inner demon and preventing him from accessing any of his normal powers.

And she had succeeded. From the moment the enchantment was cast until now, he hadn't heard a single word from it.

Which was, in a way, both a blessing and a curse.

He really couldn't stand his youkai. It was always trying to get him to make impulsive decisions. The only thing they ever really seemed to agree on was the protection of Rin.

He frowned, remembering exactly _why_ he had wanted to injure Inuyasha.

How dare that half-breed steal a kiss from him!

He had just been sleeping . . . wait, _sleeping?!_

He hadn't _slept_ in . . . well, years. The last time he could remember doing something even _remotely_ similar was after he had gotten hit with the wind scar . . . and then his rest had been disturbed after Rin found him.

Maybe he was in worse shape than he had originally suspected.

He sighed, going back to his original position under the tree. Really, he felt extremely . . . tired.

And angry.

Yes, positively seething.

He touched his lips again in dismay, frowning.

He tilted his head up, narrowing his eyes slightly when he saw his younger brother sitting amongst the branches.

Oh, he would make him pay.

A sudden sensation in his stomach interrupted his thoughts, and he clutched at it curiously. He winced slightly as the feeling came back. It . . . hurt.

Up in his little tree, Inuyasha was frantic.

His youkai was giving him all sorts of comments that he really didn't want to hear. And even worse, it just _wouldn't_ seem to leave him alone about Sesshomaru's . . . actions.

Even worse than _that,_ it had actually _enjoyed _it.

"**Oh come off your high horse. If **_**I**_** liked it, that means that **_**you**_**-"**

"SHUT UP!"

The two sleeping people in the clearing woke. Inuyasha cursed at his luck, as he heard Shippo calling up to him,

"What's up Inuyasha? Why are you being so loud?"

Inuyasha scowled.

Oh, one day he was going to look back on this day and _laaaauuugh._

* * *

The next morning Inuyasha was up early, and forcing everyone else to get up that they could be on their way as quickly as possible. After swiftly stealing away Kagome, Sango and Miroku from the village, he was able to get everyone to start moving within ten minutes of the sun rising.

He just couldn't _take _it anymore.

If he had to spend _one more second_ with his brother, he was sure that he would go insane.

Sesshomaru didn't appear to remember anything when his youkai had taken control, though he_ did_ recall their accidental kiss, and that was enough to have him glaring daggers at him for the majority of the day. Nobody seemed to notice anything strange going on between the two.

Except for Kirara and Ah-Un, that is. After all, they had seen everything that had gone on, and while finding it odd, they decided that this was between them. Kirara continued walking alongside the demon lord, mewling softly every few minutes. Sesshomaru would mutter something quietly, and anyone paying attention would see that they were holding a small conversation.

Sango was nothing short of jealous. But, she reasoned, at least, that the demon lord wasn't harming her.

. . . Like he could.

"Are you feeling alright Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

His head snapped over to her. "Huh? What?"

Kagome blinked.

"Er, I was asking if you were alright . . ."

The half-demon closed his eyes in aggravation. His youkai _would not_ leave him alone. He'd tried to force it to the back of his mind, only to have the attempt thwarted once again when it would bring up the situation from the night before.

"I'm . . . fine." He ground out.

Kagome waited a few seconds, and was about to ask another question when the half-demon let out a small 'eep!' and his cheeks darkened considerably.

She blinked.

Inuyasha was . . . blushing?

In the back of the group, Sesshomaru was slowly and surely planning Inuyasha's demise. Should he kill him quickly, or let him die slowly and laugh at his pain?

Hmm.

Decisions, decisions.

Though, if he didn't eat something soon _he_ would be the one dying a slow and painful death . . .

Inuyasha had done his darndest to seal off his youkai for the moment, and it looked like he had succeeded. It wasn't talking to him anymore, much to his relief, and he had finally began to calm down, disregarding the events with Sesshomaru as . . . _once in a lifetime_ occurrences.

The kiss, was an accident.

And it was _Sesshomaru's _fault anyways.

The whole staring thing?

Well, that was Sesshomaru's fault too.

It really was nice to be able to blame other people for things.

Sesshomaru was steadily remembering why he despised being so weak. He was in . . . pain. His stomach was burning, as it hadn't been fed in about five days. He was attempting to ignore the problem, and continue on (like he would in any other situation), but it felt like he was being eaten alive, from the inside out. He heard Kirara mew worriedly, asking him if he was alright, and he opened his mouth to respond, only to find that no words would come.

His eyes shut abruptly, and he stopped walking, trying to focus on willing the ache away.

It wasn't working.

He attempted to take another step forward, only to find that he stumbled (him! Stumble!), and he bowed his head. What was _wrong_ with him? He should have been able to go _weeks_ without eating. At the very least. Chikotsu was more powerful than he had assumed, if she was able to change his tolerance as well.

He let out a soft gasp of pain, attempting to be as discreet as possible.

Kirara had stopped with him, and was trying to get his attention by mewling loudly, her front paws on his black-clad foot. When that didn't work, she tried to get Inuyasha to notice her with the same method, blinking her large red eyes in concern.

Sesshomaru grunted quietly, his right hand reaching up to clutch at his stomach.

Stubborn as ever, he tried to step forward again, only to find his legs buckling out from underneath him.

It was an unfamiliar feeling.

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

He didn't even realize that he was falling until he heard Rin's shout, his golden eyes blinking open in alarm.

He prepared his self for _more_ pain, aware that the ground was speeding toward his face at a frightening pace. He let out no noise (he still had his _pride_ after all), but did allow his eyes to close again. Really, why was this happening to _him?_ What the _hell_ was wrong with Chikotsu? Was all this just for a whim?

She had better have a _damn_ good reason for all the crap she put him through, or else she was going to _die._ And her death _would_ be slow and painful. No doubt about it.

He frowned, realizing that he would be hitting the ground soon. Really, his kimono was going to get all dirty.

Very suddenly, he was leaning against something warm and soft.

Sesshomaru's eyes fluttered open wearily, confused as to why he hadn't hit yet. Something lifted him up, not letting go even when he was standing again. He looked in front of him, and was surprised to find Inuyasha glaring angrily.

The half-demon didn't know what possessed him to catch his older brother. His _youkai_ would claim that he did it so that Sesshomaru's pretty face wouldn't be ruined, but that wasn't true. (Or, at least, he hoped it wasn't) He had turned after hearing Rin's cry, and his eyes had widened a fraction as genuine panic coursed through him. His body acted of it's own accord, darting forward and preventing the fall as quickly as he could.

Now Sesshomaru was looking at him curiously, though his eyes looked exhausted, and the Daiyoukai was clutching at his stomach. Inuyasha took notice of this, and, attempting to cover up the fact that he was still holding Sesshomaru, shouted, "Baka! When was the last time you ate, _stupid_!? Just because you refuse human food doesn't mean you should starve yourself you _idiot!_"

Sesshomaru himself said nothing, averting his gaze for a moment, before meeting his brother's eyes. His hand fell to his side, and his brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to say something, _anything,_ but all that came out was another pained gasp as his eyelids fell heavily over golden orbs. And then, Sesshomaru's body fell limp into Inuyasha's arms.

Inuyasha blinked down at the form leaning against him, highly confused.

Had Sesshomaru . . . did Sesshomaru just pass out?

"Lord Inuyasha! What is wrong with him?" Rin shouted, tears beginning to well up in her brown eyes.

"Inuyasha! Is your brother alright?" Miroku asked, coming closer to the two. Inuyasha looked over to the monk, still slightly confused.

"I don't . . . know . . ."

"What happened?" Kagome asked, running to Sesshomaru's side and brushing the bangs away from his face lightly.

Inuyasha looked down at his brother, shifting him so that he could hold his body more comfortably.

"He just . . . collapsed. I don't think he's eaten in a while . . . it's probably because of that damn spell that he's so hungry." The half-demon growled.

Kagome nodded, frowning slightly.

"Inuyasha! I _told_ you to make sure he ate something! What do we do?"

Inuyasha sighed, rolling his eyes. "We should _probably_ find someplace to stop, and then I'm gonna have to hunt something that he can eat but . . ."

"But what?" Kagome asked, afraid that something was seriously wrong with the Daiyoukai.

The half-demon turned his eyes to meet hers, before looking down at the demon in his arms.

"But . . . it's _Sesshomaru_."

"SIT BOY!"

* * *

Soon they were off, Kagome insisting that to move faster, Inuyasha carry Sesshomaru, while she rode her bike. Needless to say, Sango and Miroku were riding on Kirara, while Rin and Jaken took to Ah-Un's saddle. Shippo sat in the basket on Kagome's bicycle.

Inuyasha was the only one not happy about this arrangement.

The Daiyoukai was on his back, his head drooping over Inuyasha's shoulder.

And he was exhaling warm air onto the flesh of the half-demon's neck. Goosebumps ran over the skin, and Inuyasha tried furiously to keep his blush down as he attempted to ignore his youkai's comments. He absolutely _refused_ to admit that it felt . . . good. Arousing, even. Because it didn't. It was an unconscious choice on Sesshomaru's part, he knew. He shuddered slightly as the demon let out another breath, scowling darkly afterwards.

Why did life hate him so much?

The group continued on, everyone worried about the daiyoukai's welfare except for the half-demon. Kagome glanced at the demon lord every so often, extremely concerned. Inuyasha just wanted to get someplace to dump the bastard.

As they ran over the field, searching for anywhere safe to set up camp, Sesshomaru stirred. Inuyasha blanched, knowing his older brother would try and kill him again if he knew just _who_ was carrying him. He turned his head to the side slightly, letting out a sigh of relief when he realized that Sesshomaru's eyes were still closed.

Out of the blue, the Daiyoukai pressed his nose to Inuyasha's neck, sniffing the lightly tanned flesh briefly. Inuyasha blinked in confusion. Sesshomaru stopped, before letting his head fall again and nuzzling closer to the half-demon. He let out a soft sigh before his breathing went back to normal.

'What . . . what was that?'

'**Sesshomaru's subconscious was trying to discern whether he was safe or not. Apparently, it trusts us.'**

Inuyasha blinked again.

'Right. _Sure_.'

After a couple of minutes, they managed to find someplace suitable, and, after a few "SIT!"s from Kagome, Inuyasha was darting through the woods, trying to find something for his brother to eat.

His ears twitched as he heard something moving quietly, and he headed towards that direction, finding a small bunny rabbit nibbling on some leaves curiously.

Well.

That was the last thing that poor bunny ever did.

o0o

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open. He sat up quickly, snarling at whoever _dared_ to sit close to the almighty Lord Sesshomaru.

Kagome let out a small 'eep!', falling away from the demon lord, looking at him nervously.

"Sesshomaru! You're awake . . ."

The demon lord scowled, which, for him, meant a slight down turning of his lips.

"Um, uh --! Inuyasha went to get something for you to eat, so . . ."

Sesshomaru blinked.

His eyes closed, and he found his brow furrowing uncharacteristically.

That . . . _half-breed_ was hunting for him?

It wasn't like he was some defenseless bitch, he was Lord Sesshomaru! He could hunt for his self.

He could take _care_ of _his self_.

Though, his earlier episode proved those words wrong.

Sesshomaru had never been so humiliated in his life.

Asking his half-demon brother for help was one thing, but _collapsing_ into his arms was a whole different matter. He felt like some sort of weak uke. Oh, the mortification. Inuyasha would never let him live it down. The thought made him just want to sit there until the miko left him alone, but he opened his eyes, averting them from her gaze and offering a soft, "hn." as his answer.

"Are you alright?" She prompted, moving a bit closer to his form.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, sending her a scalding look.

"It is _none of your concern._"

Kagome blinked.

Then she scowled, turning up her nose.

"Well then! I was just trying to help."

Sesshomaru was relieved when she stayed quiet.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You're up!"

He looked over to the small girl darting towards him.

"Rin was worried!" She cried. Overstepping the previous boundaries they had established, she embraced him slightly, not getting to close in case he was upset with her. Sesshomaru allowed a small smile to grace his features, but it was gone before anyone noticed.

"I am fine, Rin."

o0o

Inuyasha angrily stomped over to the group, holding a dead and slightly bloodied rabbit in his hands. Oh the degradation. Here he was, bringing food to _Sesshomaru_, like he was some sort of slave. He would never let him live it down. As soon as he was close enough, he dropped the dead animal beside his brother, refusing to meet his gaze and continuing forward to plop down next to Kagome, glaring at the daiyoukai with both arms in the opposite sleeves of his haori. They were sitting across from the daiyoukai now.

"Now hurry up and eat. The sooner you finish the sooner we can get a move on. It's your fault that we had to stop in the first place, bastard."

Kagome elbowed him, glaring. "Inuyasha! Sesshomaru just woke up! Give him a break!"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to the human girl defend him (really, he wasn't a child!), but decided to listen to Inuyasha anyways. He picked up the rabbit, his mouth almost watering in anticipation. He controlled his self, and was about to begin the process of skinning the animal, when Rin's shriek met his ears.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE POOR BUNNY?!!!"

Everyone froze.

"Uh . . ."

"Heh heh . . ."

Sesshomaru looked over at her, eye's widening slightly. Sango took that moment to step in. "Er, Rin, come over here for a moment . . . I want to show you something . . . "

Rin reluctantly allowed herself to be led away, glancing back fearfully at the 'poor bunny'.

Sesshomaru had never been so grateful to a human in his life.

Getting back to his meal, he inserted one claw carefully into the rabbit's side, running his hand down the fur and painstakingly tearing it away from the meat beneath it. He removed all the fur from the animal, setting it in a neat little pile beside him. Unceremoniously, he tore off a piece of the rabbit, lifting it to his mouth.

"Y-You're not gonna cook it?" Kagome asked as she watched the daiyoukai, horror shining in her eyes.

"Demon's eat their food raw, Kagome." Inuyasha informed her, as if this were common knowledge.

The miko nodded, and let out a shaky grin, before standing and attempting to get herself as _far_ away from Sesshomaru as possible.

Inuyasha continued watching his brother impatiently, about to snap at him to hurry up, when the daiyoukai slowly and tentatively took a bite of the animal, sinking his teeth into his meal. He ripped off a piece, chewing slowly, and Inuyasha (with his state of the art doggy ears) was able to hear Sesshomaru let out a soft groan of satisfaction. He blushed, looking away. Sesshomaru, oblivious to his little brother's discomfort, continued eating, his stomach beyond thrilled that he had decided to feed it (finally). After a few moments, the entire rabbit was completely dismembered, the majority of it resting comfortably in Sesshomaru's stomach. His hand, and the areas around his lips were covered in blood. He looked down at the clawed appendage for a moment, before bringing it to his mouth.

He allowed his tongue to slip past his lips, and ran it along the length of his hand, humming contentedly. He ran the pink muscle along his index finger, then allowed it to fall in the valley between two of his clawed attachments, and drew his tongue around that spot, sucking on it greedily. He couldn't remember being so hungry in his life. The demon lord then moved to a different location, making sure that the pink appendage drank up every last drop of blood. His eyes flicked upwards absentmindedly. Then, they widened a fraction in curiosity, and his tongue froze in its trek.

Inuyasha was staring at him in wonder, eyes wide and a bright red blush staining his face. The half-demon immediately looked away when he realized he had been discovered, switching his gaze to the ground.

Sesshomaru blinked. And then, feeling experimental, his tongue slid out from between his lips once more, this time licking at the crimson liquid staining his mouth and chin. He ran the muscle over his lips just as Inuyasha's eyes looked back up slowly, and tilted his head slightly as his brother's blush grew deeper.

"B-Baka! Hurry up and finish, we don't have time for this!" Inuyasha shouted.

Sesshomaru, who had finished cleaning himself, met the half-demon's gaze.

"Is there a reason why you stare, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stammered angrily.

"W-wha--?! I wasn't staring!"

And that was the end of that.

* * *

Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel some sort of flattery at his little brother's staring, though he was clueless as to why. First of all, he hated Inuyasha, and the half-demon hated him, right? It was as simple as that. Though lately, that didn't seem to be the case.

And that kiss wasn't _horrible_—

'No. A half-breed such as my brother is undeserving to reside in my presence, let alone steal a kiss from this Sesshomaru.'

He convinced his self, feeling much better as they continued their journey. He _still_ hated his brother, and that wasn't likely to change anytime soon.

Or so he hoped.

Really, had that unscrupulous hanyou no shame?

Sesshomaru knew that he was attractive, anyone with _eyes_ could see that. But honestly, even his little brother?

He couldn't give the excuse that he was disgusted because his brother was a _he, _no, he had long ago given up on women. He didn't need some whiny bitch dragging him down and trying to take over his lands. Sesshomaru knew the impracticality of mating with a woman. He just had no desire to look for a mate at this time. Or, at least, that's what he continuously told the demon council.

His golden eyes found his brother, and he kept his gaze on him for a moment, studying his form carefully.

And so what if his brother was attracted to him?

It's not like he felt the same.

o0o

Inuyasha was grumbling to himself quietly. What the hell was wrong with him lately? He couldn't seem to get Sesshomaru out of his head. His youkai had quieted down, thank goodness, but his thoughts kept spiraling back to his brother.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Amber eyes flicked over to glance at Sesshomaru.

And golden hues clashed together as their eyes met.

Inuyasha wanted to to do something, _anything_, to yell, or scream, or insult his brother, but his breath hitched in his throat.

Sesshomaru blinked.

He opened his mouth slightly, before closing it. The demon lord then averted his gaze, bringing his hand up and pulling a few strands of his platinum-colored behind his ears.

Inuyasha looked away, wondering for a minute, why Sesshomaru hadn't said anything.

Sesshomaru himself was wondering the same thing.

Sango, who just wanted to break the silence that had seemed to settle over everyone, turned to the daiyoukai.

"Sesshomaru, I've been wondering . . . what exactly happened? How did you get like this in the first place?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he turned to look at the demon slayer who had asked this question, frowning darkly. She blanched, turning forward. He was much easier to talk to when you weren't actually looking at him.

"I was just curious . . ."

"This Sesshomaru does not need to _explain_ himself to _humans_."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"But that's basically what you are now, right?"

"Do _not_ compare me to—"

"Oh get over it. Just tell us what happened." The half-demon stated, sounding bored. In truth, he was just as curious as Sango was.

The daiyoukai frowned, but opened his mouth and began to tell them anyways. After all, it wasn't like he could get what he wanted when he was _this_ weak. And . . . for some reason he felt as if he _wanted_ to give into Inuyasha's demands.

Sesshomaru frowned once more.

"Chikotsu is . . . an acquaintance of mine. I don't particularly care for her. We crossed paths a few days ago, and she began babbling about some new ability she obtained and how she desired to 'try it out' on me." His eye's narrowed at the memory.

"_Please Sesshomaru! It'll be real quick, and it's creative! You'll like it, I promise!"_

_Sesshomaru growled, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the annoying demon in front of him._

"_Chikotsu, _leave_. I am not in the mood for your antics."_

_The fox demon pouted._

"_Well I'm afraid I'm not giving you a choice."_

_She darted towards the daiyoukai, swiping at him with a clawed hand. _

_He evaded the attack easily, simply stepping to the side and drawing his sword. _

"_I will not ask you again."_

_Chikotsu grinned._

"_Oh! Look who's all high and mighty, eh? Well, let's knock you down a few pegs, shall we?"_

_She twirled, letting loose a torrent of green leaves and sending them flying towards the demon lord._

_Sesshomaru cut through them easily, not one of them getting even close to him. The leaves released a pink gas, and Sesshomaru snorted softly once he breathed it in, flicking his wrist and sending the cloud of miasma away from him._

_Chikotsu simply grinned._

_Sesshomaru's face remained expressionless._

"_I grow tired of you. Dragon Strike."_

_He swung his sword, channeling his power into it as usual, but the vulpine didn't even flinch._

_And absolutely nothing happened._

_Sesshomaru blinked._

_Chikotsu advanced then, giggling slightly. Sesshomaru frowned, but stood his ground. He wasn't afraid of some creepy fan girl! She came even closer, leaning into him until he could feel her breath on his face._

_He made to move then, frowning when he found that he was moving unusually slow. So slow, in fact, that the vulpine was able to stop his departure, grabbing onto his neck with a tanned hand. Sesshomaru couldn't escape her grasp._

_She chuckled._

"_Hmm, I think I like you better like this."_

_She leaned forward even more, much to Sesshomaru's distaste, and pressed a chaste kiss to the side of his neck._

"Then she giggled something about 'seeing my later' and ran off."

Inuyasha frowned.

So _that_ was why her scent had still been lingering around his neck. For some reason it made his stomach churn uneasily.

The rest of the group said nothing, pitying the demon lord slightly in their own ways.

Inuyasha turned his head away from the demon lord, continuing his habitual trait of staring straight ahead.

And just when Inuyasha was beginning to think that the day would continue on _normally_, unexpectedly, a foreign scent reached his nose and he inhaled sharply, turning around. A dark growl passed his lips.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "What's wrong?"

"Something's coming."

That was the only warning the group got before it appeared in the distance, and it was moving towards them at an alarmingly fast pace.

Inuyasha frowned, drawing Tetsaisga from its sheath.

The blur continued moving until it appeared right in front of the group. It stopped, and it was apparent now that it was a youkai. The foreign demon sighed, tossing his head back and smirking. Indigo-colored hair flew out of his face, and red eyes glinted dangerously. Black markings streaked across his cheeks in a thin short of 'v' shape.

Inuyasha snarled.

"And who the hell are—"

"Lord Sesshomaru. What a surprise to find you here." The unknown demon cut him off, completely ignoring the half demon.

Inuyasha blinked, before looking at his brother.

"Amatsu." Sesshomaru said, as if he were extremely annoyed

The demon smirked, advancing towards Sesshomaru haughtily.

"Come come Sesshy. Have you thought about my offer?"

Sesshomaru scoffed (which was little more than letting out a soft noise of irritation on his part), blinking slowly.

"I already gave you my answer. _No._"

Amatsu's smirk grew wider. The four humans were watching this exchange curiously, unconsciously moving away from the foreign demon.

"Aw Sesshy, I think that you should reconsider. You haven't been to the western lands in a while now, and the demon council is getting antsy. Wouldn't this just . . . make things easier?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, pulling Tokijin from its sheath.

"Leave, Amatsu. Before I lose my temper."

The red-eyed demon chuckled, and he held his hands up.

"Alright Fluffy. No need to get violent."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed further at the nickname.

"I just want a chance to prove that I am worthy of the mighty Lord Sesshomaru."

The daiyoukai frowned, and he pointed his sword at Amatsu more fiercely, desperate to ward him off. If the demon decided that he wanted to fight again, like he had at the last council meeting, Sesshomaru wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He could barely even _wield_ Tokijin, let alone use the dragon strike.

"_Get out of my sight._" He hissed, snarling angrily at Amatsu.

Amatsu himself simply grinned. He sauntered over to Sesshomaru, tilting his head slightly when he heard the daiyoukai growling. Amatsu continued his trek, not stopping even when he was directly in front of the demon lord. Under any _normal _circumstances, Sesshomaru would have jumped away. But seeing as he couldn't without giving away his drawback, he simply stood there, a frown marring his perfect features. If he made any move to show that he was weakened, then Amatsu would waste no time in _taking_ what he wanted. He could not allow the demon to figure out his (temporary) secret.

Amatsu reached a clawed hand out grasping Sesshomaru's chin gently in his hand.

The daiyoukai didn't even flinch.

The demon ran a finger over Sesshomaru's lips, marveling at how smooth they were. Amatsu felt slightly thrilled that the daiyoukai was allowing him to touch him.

"Hey!"

Both of the demon lord's eyes turned at the disturbance, finding Inuyasha glaring at them angrily.

Amatsu blinked.

"Fluffy, why in the world are you traveling with _human's_?"

"That is none of your concern."

Amatsu's eyes roamed over the group, stopping on Inuyasha.

"The bastard told ya to _leave_ already." The half-demon sneered.

Amatsu gazed at him curiously, before the same smirk curled his lips, and he drew closer to Sesshomaru, bringing his face nearer to the his. Sesshomaru growled darkly. Amatsu could sense the negative energy radiating off the hanyou, and it was highly amusing. Though he could smell the half-breeds scent on _his_ demon lord, and it was a little . . . disconcerting. He'd have to show him who Sesshomaru really belonged to.

"Ah, you must be Inuyasha."

His head inched forward, and a pink tongue darted from between Amatsu's lips as he licked the shell of Sesshomaru's ear lightly, grinning when he saw the enraged look on the half-breed's face.

"Jealous?"

Sesshomaru, unable to take the infuriating demon any longer, swung his sword towards Amatsu, nearly yelling in frustration when he moved away before it hit. He landed a good distance from the demon lord, nonchalantly tossing his hair over his shoulder.

"Hey fluffy, you've gotten slower. Or could it be that you're not really trying to hit me?"

Sesshomaru lifted his head slightly, glaring down at the demon.

"Next time I will not be so generous."

Amatsu simply chuckled.

"Well, then I guess it's time for me to go. But how about a little souvenir until next time, hmm?" He jumped forward, flipping twice in the air before landing directly in front of Sesshomaru. The daiyoukai blinked in confusion, before sighing softly in exasperation at Amatsu's persistence. He seemed to be expecting something, coming forward slightly, eyeing Sesshomaru's down turned lips.

"Aw, come on fluffy, I've been _such_ a good boy . . ."

He leaned forward, parting his lips in anticipation. Sesshomaru snarled.

He'd be _damned_ if he let _another_ annoyance press their lips to his. Inuyasha had been bad enough! He bared his fangs, about to snap at the demon, when suddenly Amatsu darted away in a gust of wind.

The Tetsaisga was embedded deeply into the ground where he had been standing moments before. Sesshomaru blinked.

Amatsu spun away, pouting.

"Ooh! Your brother has _such_ a _temper_." He whined. Inuyasha scowled, raising his sword to strike once more.

"Fine, fine. I'll leave. But I'll be back fluffy. You see, I _always _get what I want." Amatsu purred, licking his lips.

And then the demon was speeding off, sending a wink back to Sesshomaru.

The daiyoukai growled under his breath, sheathing Tokijin and glaring off after his admirer.

"What the hell was that!?" Inuyasha shouted, pointing Tetsaisga at his brother angrily.

Sesshomaru turned, glaring at his younger brother.

"I do not believe I owe you an explanation, Inuyasha."

The half-demon frowned.

"Bastard! I'm the one helping ya out here! So you better start talking!"

The humans were looking at lord Sesshomaru awkwardly, Sango coughing nervously into her hand. The demon lord _had _practically gotten molested after all. You didn't see something like _that_ every day.

Sesshomaru sighed, closing his eyes in annoyance.

"That is Amatsu. He is a fox demon, son of the lord of the southern lands. He . . . desires to mate with me."

Inuyasha snarled, sheathing Tetsaisga angrily.

"Like hell you will."

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open, and in a bout of annoyance he said sarcastically, "I wasn't aware that it was your decision, _hanyou_."

Inuyasha blushed angrily, turning away and beginning to stomp away from his pack. The demon lord clenched his fist, attempting to get himself under control.

"B-But . . . their . . . their both _guy's!_"

. . .

Everyone turned to stare at Kagome's outburst, and she flushed, looking down.

"Ano . . ."

"Yes. I had forgotten that you humans seem to have some sort of conflict with same sex partners." Sesshomaru spoke absentmindedly, still angered from his encounter.

Oh, he _really_ couldn't _stand_ that flea-bitten—

"Whatever. Come on." Inuyasha said loudly, interrupting the demon lord's thoughts.

Sango and Miroku exchange glances, silently asking if the other had _any _clue as to what had just happened. Kagome was blinking in confusion, but followed Inuyasha anyway, Shippo simply shaking his head and licking the 'sucker' that the miko had given him earlier.

Rin was the first to say it.

"Why did that man call you fluffy, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, and he grit his teeth involuntarily, as he took deep breaths.

Why did life hate him so much?

Miroku grinned. "Fluffy huh? Ah! I get it—"

* * *

Miroku sighed, pouting and rubbing at the marks around his neck from where Sesshomaru had tried to strangle him earlier.

Really, the demon lord was too _touchy!_

The group had continued walking, Sesshomaru staying in the back and glowering angrily at anyone that tried to talk to him.

Inuyasha was having his own problems.

'**If I didn't know any better puppy, I'd say that you had a **_**crush**_** on Sesshomaru.' **His youkai pointed out in his mind.

Inuyasha could just _feel_ it smirk. He scowled.

'Oh shut up. Like that would ever happen. You're delirious.'

'**I don't know Inu. You were pretty opposed to Sesshomaru mating with 'ol whatshisname.' **

'The guy was annoying as hell!'

'**And? Not like it involved us in any way.'**

'Oh yeah? Well . . . SHUT UP!'

Inuyasha swore silently. If this kept up much longer, he might just go insane.

* * *

Foxgirl: Sorry guys, but I couldn't just let Inuyasha have Sesshomaru without any competition! . . . Like Amatsu stands a chance with fluffy anyways. Sorry about the OC, do you hate me now? :( I don't usually use OC's . . . but there are two main one's in this story. Chikotsu, of course, comes in later. So, tell me what you think! Thank you all for reading this crazy story thus far! Oh! And I changed the title, thanks to a suggestion from Aachen. Thanks to the people who gave me their ideas!

Vixen: *sigh* I'm not needed much anymore am I? Review please.


	4. Awkward Conversations

* * *

Chapter Four: Awkward Conversations  


* * *

Sesshomaru stared at the ground as he walked, deep in thought. He didn't have his youkai to reason with, and (for once) he found himself missing the annoying voice in his head. Because of his dire situation, and of the demon council's impatience, he was actually _considering_ Amatsu's offer. What could he lose from mating with a powerful demon like him? They were both full-blooded daiyoukai's, and immensely powerful. Sesshomaru remembered when they had fought before, it took all he had to beat the fox-demon. The western lands would never falter under rule like that. And, despite everything, Amatsu _was_ sort of, well, attractive. Regardless of the fact that he could be extremely annoying. Sesshomaru sighed, looking over to Rin absentmindedly.

It would take a bit to convince him to let Rin live.

And, though many wouldn't hesitate to agree to mate with him, Sesshomaru knew that Amatsu was the best choice.

Besides, it wasn't like he was interested in anyone else currently.

Sesshomaru couldn't figure out exactly, why at that moment Inuyasha's face flashed through his mind.

o0o

Kagome was a bit . . . _confused_ about what had just occurred. A demon (Amatsu, was it?), a _male_ demon, wanted to . . . ( . . . ) . . . with Sesshomaru! She looked back at him nervously. The youkai himself didn't seem to be angered because Amatsu was male, but simply because he was annoying. Was . . . Sesshomaru . . . ?

Asking would probably lead to certain death, with or without his strength. He was still bigger than her.

So, she would just have to find out from someone else.

"Inu . . . Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, inching closer to the aforementioned half-demon.

He simply grunted in response, and Kagome continued, glancing back towards the daiyoukai.

"Is . . . Is Sesshomaru . . . gay?"

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the foreign word.

"Is he what?"

"You know . . . is he . . . into guy's?"

A dark red replaced Inuyasha's normal complexion, and he stumbled over his feet, smoothly falling onto his face once more.

He jumped back up, glaring the blushing miko.

"How the hell should I know! If you're so damn interested ask him!"

'**You're beginning to sound defensive, puppy.' **His youkai chuckled.

"I do _NOT_ LIKE MY BROTHER!"

Everyone was silent.

Kagome blinked.

"Er, nobody said you did . . .' She scurried away, hiding her red face in her hands. Did Inuyasha have to shout his answer like that? Now Sesshomaru was gonna know for _sure_ if she asked him, that she had asked Inuyasha first.

Inuyasha was breathing heavily, shutting his eyes tight in aggravation.

'_WHY!?'_

Miroku was highly confused by Inuyasha's response. He hadn't been able to hear what Kagome asked the hanyou, but he could tell that it disturbed him greatly. He walked closer to the demon, glancing up absentmindedly.

"What seems to be troubling you, Inuyasha?"

Amber eyes snapped over to the monk, and he frowned.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Leave me alone!" He hissed, going back to staring in front of him.

Miroku sighed, patting his friend on the back heartily.

"I hear ya. Let me guess, women troubles?"

Inuyasha grumbled. "Something like that."

The monk smiled.

"My friend, Kagome's never going to understand how you feel unless you tell her—"

"Who said this was about Kagome!?" Inuyasha snarled, forcing down a blush.

Miroku blinked.

"Uh—"

"Never mind! I'm gonna scout ahead."

The half-demon bounded off, muttering incoherent sentences as he left.

Miroku blinked in confusion.

Then he turned around, glancing casually back at Inuyasha's brother.

He had an idea of why Inuyasha was upset.

After all, Miroku was the expert on subjects like these.

o0o

Kirara strode next to Sesshomaru lazily, glancing up at him every once in a while.

" . . . Merow?"

The demon lord looked down at her, before sighing softly.

"I don't know. I still haven't quite made a decision yet."

"Mew?"

"I know he's annoying. However I don't see what other choices I have."

"Mrrrrrrow."

He looked down at her curiously.

"Now, why would you say that?"

Kirara plodded away then, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Sesshomaru looked oddly after her, before frowning slightly, turning his head to the side.

What a ludicrous suggestion.

_Inuyasha_.

o0o

Kirara wasn't stupid.

And she wasn't blind either.

Ever since she had seen the two kiss is the forest, she had an idea that _something_ was up between the them, and Inuyasha's earlier outburst had confirmed her suspicions. From previous conversations with the demon lord, she had learned that he was a pretty lonely guy.

Not that he'd come out and said this exactly, but it was easy to guess.

He wandered around all the time, _purposely _avoiding the demon council and their nitpicky questions about whether he had chosen a mate yet or not.

So she was glad that he was finally getting into the game. They were plenty of fish in the sea, Sesshomaru just refused to cast out his line.

Or something like that.

Honestly, she thought that the two brothers would make an adorable couple.

Now she just had to get them to realize it.

o0o

Inuyasha ran off into the distance, 'scouting' much farther than he needed to. Why did everybody feel the need to ask so many damn _questions?_

He sighed, turning his head slightly.

It was so . . . confusing.

Before, if he needed _any_ excuse for the way he felt about his brother, he could write it off as lust. Even _he_ had to admit that the demon lord was . . . attractive (beautiful, really). But now . . . now he could definitely identify what he felt. It wasn't a foreign emotion, he usually felt it boiling when Kouga was around Kagome, but not this time. He was . . . jealous.

He was jealous of the _male_ demon that had been hitting on his brother, jealous that _he_ stood a chance with the daiyoukai, when Inuyasha himself . . .

Well, that was no secret.

As he went farther and farther away from everyone, he began to get the feeling he was being . . . watched.

Faintly, he could catch a whiff of a slightly familiar scent. He looked around, his eyebrows lowering in confusion.

It smelt like . . . fox?

Inuyasha's ear's twitched slightly as he heard a faint sound. Like rushing wind. He looked up at the sky in alarm, as a beautiful, orange-haired demonness glided down from the air in a fluffy of leaves and twigs. The half-demon stared at her faintly, taking in her features. He felt like . . . like he should _know_ her. Large fox-like ears sat on her head, though it was clear she was a full demon, a long, fluffy tail jutting out of the end of her tailbone. A black kimono adorned her, fitting her more than it _should_ have been, a golden obi tied around her waist, with black sakura petals decorating the tails of the bow. She wore no shoes, and she seemed to stand on the front of her feet, with the heel in the air, like some sort of animal. Yellow blossoms decorated the front of her outfit, and suddenly it became clear who this was.

Inuyasha snarled angrily, drawing his sword.

"_Chikotsu._"

The fox demon giggled, a high-pitched airy sound, before looking at him under dark lashes.

"You must be Inuyasha." She spoke, flicking her hair behind her. It was done up in a long ponytail, bangs hanging idly and falling into her eyes as she moved.

"Give Sesshomaru his youkai back!" The half-demon growled, ready to rip this girl to shreds. After all, it was _her_ fault that he had gotten into this mess.

The vulpine laughed again, before smirking at Inuyasha with a toothy smile and simply stating, "And why should I?"

Inuyasha paused, before growling again and brandishing his sword. "_Because if you don't I'm going to rip you apart!_" He seethed.

Chikotsu didn't appear threatened.

"Ah, but then, who would help your brother Yasha-kun?"

Inuyasha growled at the nickname (and at the fact that she was _right_ dammit), and lowered his blade, glaring at him.

"Damn you to hell! What reason do you have for being so manipulative? Or do you just like to see people suffer?"

Chikotsu's smirk never faltered, and she crossed her arms smartly.

"Why are you even concerned about this? I was under the impression that you two hated each other."

"Stop talking like you know me!" Inuyasha snarled, about ready to unleash the wind scar for no reason other than he was annoyed at her smart-alecky attitude.

"Oh, but I do Yasha-kun!" She ignored the shout of, 'stop _calling_ me that!' to continue. "If only from what I've heard from my brother about _your _brother."

This made Inuyasha pause.

"Your . . . brother?"

Chikotsu giggled her airy laugh again, biting her thumb cutely.

"Yes! His scent is near, so I'm assuming you two have met already."

The half-demon blinked. And then, it all came to him in a rush of it's-so-obvious-I-can't-believe-I-just-realized-it and his mouth fell open in shock.

"Amatsu's your _brother!?_"

The vulpine grinned cheekily, nodding her head.

"You are correct sir!"

Something else clicked in Inuyasha's head and he groaned softly under his breath.

'**Well it's easy to tell they're related, their both so damn **_**annoying**_**.'**

For once, Inuyasha agreed with his youkai.

'My thought's exactly.'

"That doesn't matter. The point is, that Sesshomaru won't leave me alone until _you_ return what you _stole!_"

Chikotsu pouted, her full lips glossed over.

"I was going to! Why do you think I was headed in his direction?"

"Shut up! Don't think I'm— wait what?"

"I am totally planning to give Fluffy his youkai back."

Inuyasha blinked.

". . . Totally. . .?" He repeated, a large sweatdrop appearing on the back of his head.

Chikotsu nodded.

"Totally! Just . . . not anytime soon."

She bit her lip after this statement, sighing to herself softly.

"You see, the reason I took Sesshomaru's youkai, why I turned the most powerful youkai in the west into the weakest, was because of my brother."

Inuyasha blinked, and he could feel his youkai sighing internally.

'**I sense an incredibly long story coming on.'** It groaned.

And for the second time that day Inuyasha felt himself agreeing.

o0o

Shippo's nose moved faintly as he smelled something unfamiliar. And Inuyasha as well.

"Kagome, Inuyasha's up ahead! And he's with another demon!"

The miko nodded, increasing her pace.

"Come on guys! Inuyasha could be in trouble!"

o0o

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You weakened my brother, could have had him _killed_, _just_ so that _your_ brother would have a chance with him?"

" . . . Well, of course it's gonna sound bad if you say it like _that_. And besides, there are other reasons. Sesshomaru just doesn't seem to realize what can be gained from joining our two lands."

Inuyasha frowned.

"That is the absolute stupidest thing I have ever heard."

Chikotsu glared at him defiantly.

"Even more so than the word 'stupidest'?"

"Shut up!"

"Inuyasha!"

The two demons (one half-demon) turned at the sound of the voice, Inuyasha's glare softening when he saw Kagome bursting through the trees, as well as the rest of the group.

"Inuyasha, who is this demonness?" Miroku asked, taking notice of her curvy form.

"This is –"

"Chikotsu." Sesshomaru snarled, interrupting Inuyasha's sentence. Said half-demon pouted.

The fox demon giggled.

"Fluffy-sama! Long time no see." She said happily.

Sesshomaru was not happy.

"Chikotsu I _demand_ that you undo this enchantment."

The fox-demon chuckled again.

"Aw fluffy, I'm afraid that I simply _can not_ do that."

The air was silent for a moment, before the demon lord growled in frustration, his mouth twitching angrily.

"And _just why not_?" He snapped, looking ready to rip her in half, demon powers or no. Inuyasha looked over to his brother in surprise. He had never heard him raise his voice before.

Even Chikotsu appeared to be a little nervous now, unconsciously backing away from the demon lord.

"You see, fluffy, I didn't just take away your powers for _fun,_ I had a reason!" She explained, pouting as she spoke the last part.

"Could've fooled me." Inuyasha muttered, keeping his hand on his sword. Just in case.

"Well you might have _informed _me of this _reason_, instead of just running off giggling like an idiot."

Chikotsu's pout grew larger. "Oh fluffy, your words wound me!"

The demon lord sighed under his breath at the nickname, wincing slightly each time it was said. It was like a thousand needles stabbing at his pride.

"Look, I'll make you a deal." Chikotsu reasoned. "I'll take off the enchantment. All _you_ have to do is . . ."

There was a pregnant pause in the air as everyone waited for the fox demon's next words, Sesshomaru's eyes narrowing slightly with every second. Inuyasha was feigning boredom, but he was listening intently, his ears swiveled towards Chikotsu anxiously. Depending on what she said, he could be _rid_ of Sesshomaru soon! Everyone seemed to be anticipating her next words.

"Just . . . mate with my brother."

"No—."

"NO—!"

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, who had spoken at the same time, turned to look at each other, the half-demon blushing profusely. Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side slightly in confusion, before turning back to Chikotsu, and disregarding it for the time being.

"Those conditions are unacceptable. You cannot force me to mate with anyone."

Inuyasha stopped himself from shouting his agreements. Chikotsu opened her mouth, but was cut off by the daiyoukai speaking again.

"And in any case, I am already . . . considering Amatsu as a . . .mate." Sesshomaru found he had to force himself to say the last word, suppressing the urge to gag.

Chikotsu gasped, clapping her hands together.

"Oh! Really Fluffy? Oh this is wonderful!"

Inuyasha begged to differ. Though he tried to convince himself that he didn't care. Because, after all, he didn't.

Right?

'**Still not fooling anyone, puppy.'**

Inuyasha sighed, averting his eyes.

Why?

Why in the world was he feeling this . . . _attraction_ for his brother? It wasn't wanted, nor needed.

"Perfect! Well, I'll just take off the enchantment then . . ."

She paused.

"What?" Inuyasha asked. "Get on with it!" He forced out, swallowing thickly.

"Uh . . . I –uh . . . don't know how . . ."

Everyone sweatdropped, Sesshomaru sighing softly.

Of course.

"What do you _mean_ 'you don't know how'!?" Inuyasha roared, highly upset that he would have to spend even _more_ time with his brother. Or was that relief?

"Aheh heh . . . well, I wasn't expecting Fluffy to just give in so easily, so I didn't bother asking . . ."

Sesshomaru winced.

There was a pause as she seemed to think of a solution, her tail twitching slightly. The leaves rustled in the small breeze that had worked up. Then, Chikotsu smiled, her fangs glinting.

"Oh! I got it. Come to my home in the southern lands. You remember where it is, right Fluffy?"

"You do know that I have areal name?"

"So just meet me there, and then I'll give you the antidote. My healer, Leiko was the one who gave me those leaves, so she should know how to reverse the effects."

She glanced around, smirking proudly.

"I'd go _with _you Fluffy, but . . . I don't particularly care for humans."

Kagome rolled her eyes.

Of course.

"But oh! This is so wonderful. Fluffy and _my_ brother, soon to be mated!"

Chikotsu sighed happily for a moment, before noticing the absolutely miserable expression that Sesshomaru was attempting to hide. He was succeeding, of course. Her face fell, and she furrowed her brow slightly. She let out a breath, lacing her fingers together.

This hadn't been her idea. She was simply chosen to execute the plan.

No, her father had done this. He wanted only the best for his son, and Sesshomaru was the obvious choice. He was the only one that he had ever lost a fight to. With their lands joined by Amatsu and his mating, they would be an unstoppable force.

It was clearly the best thing to do.

And Chikotsu, who knew this perfectly well, still felt . . . _guilty_.

" . . . You know, he really _does_ love you Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru scoffed, exhaling through his nose sharply.

"Hn. The only thing that he _loves_ about me is my body. And in any case, Amatsu is simply the most practical decision. Love has nothing to do with it." Bitterly said, Sesshomaru turned on his heel and began walking back the way the group had come, going to where they had left Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un behind.

Everyone was quiet, the humans in the group staring at their feet. Kirara was subdued, tilting her head down slightly. Even Chikotsu seemed taken aback by Sesshomaru's words, and she looked away, biting her lip almost guiltily.

Nobody seemed to notice the heartbroken expression Inuyasha was desperately trying to keep from showing on his face.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When everyone reached the camp, Sesshomaru was sitting, leaning against the two-headed dragon who was laying on the ground comfortably. Rin was twirling in circles, not seeming to notice her lord's melancholy mood. Jaken was desperately attempting to get her to calm down. He stood when the others approached, waiting for his brother to begin leading the group once more.

Sesshomaru regretted that Kirara and Ah-Un couldn't carry all of them, or else the whole trip would go a lot faster. On foot, at the pace they were going, it would still take at least two weeks, maybe 10 days to reach Chikotsu's home in the south.

Once they had established a general direction, they began the journey everyone feeling a little antsy, now that they were nearing the end of their quest.

Inuyasha felt strangely unhappy. He refused to believe that it was because Sesshomaru was expressing interest in that _Amatsu_ guy.

Besides, he had Kagome, right?

Right?

He looked over to her, trying to imagine the two of them together.

He knew that she loved him.

He wasn't _that_ oblivious.

But . . . did he feel the same way?

He spared a glance over to Sesshomaru, looking into his normally stoic amber orbs.

They seemed to be swimming with emotions now, their usual glimmer fading to a dull glow. He could see confusion, dread and . . . fear?

He looked again, to make sure that he hadn't been seeing things, but his brother had put up his defenses once more, leaving him completely unreadable.

Against his better judgment, he found himself tentatively walking closer Sesshomaru, his hands resting in his sleeves nonchalantly.

"Hey, Sesshomaru." He said, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn't hear.

His only response was Sesshomaru turning his head in his direction slightly, before looking straightforward again.

Inuyasha knew that this needed to be handled delicately. His brother was more easily prone to anger these days. So he opened his mouth and said,

"What the hell's your problem?"

Inuyasha winced when he heard how harsh his tone was. How was he supposed to get Sesshomaru to open up to him if he couldn't even say anything _nice_?

Sesshomaru turned to face him, his eyes narrowed.

"I don't _have_ a problem." He ground out with a tone that clearly said, 'conversation over'.

Inuyasha frowned.

"Bastard! I'm just trying to help!"

"Oh really? By doing what? When have you ever wanted to help me?"

Inuyasha's brow furrowed.

Sesshomaru continued,

"In any case, you've been acting strange lately, Inuyasha."

Amber eyes found his once more, and Sesshomaru stared at him, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"Why?"

Inuyasha's mouth opened, before closing again. He looked down, scowling slightly. A light blush dusted his features, before he glanced back up at his brother.

"Baka. I'm perfectly fine! I just . . . I mean . . ." He stumbled over his words, trying to find what it was exactly he wanted to say. He glanced over at his brother again, putting on his normal scowl.

"I meant that you don't seem too thrilled with the choice you made."

Sesshomaru looked away, leaving him unreadable.

"That is none of your concern."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"It's _never _'anyone's concern.' You sound like a broken record."

Sesshomaru turned, glaring.

"You have an odd way of _helping_ people, Inuyasha." He said, sounding slightly sarcastic. (Yay! alliteration!).

"Well at least I'm _trying_!" Inuyasha spoke, feeling increasingly frustrated with his older sibling.

"I don't want your help."

"Dammit Sesshomaru! Do you have to be such a bastard all the time?"

"Name calling will get you nowhere Inuyasha."

"Gah! You're infuriating!"

"I wasn't aware you knew such big words."

" . . . That was a low blow."

Sesshomaru ducked his head a bit, and Inuyasha looked over, his ears twitching slightly. The daiyoukai let out an amused breath, before turning back to the half-demon.

"Really Inuyasha, what are your true motives?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Do I _need_ a motive?"

"Yes. The Inuyasha I know would never try and . . . 'help' me like this." The demon lord said, eyes narrowing. "It would be odd of me not to think otherwise."

Inuyasha blinked.

Well, alright. Why _was _he talking to Sesshomaru?

He thought about it for a moment, his gaze flickering upwards.

And then an unknown emotion flittered up within him, and he frowned.

Pity.

He was _pitying_ Sesshomaru.

He looked back over to his brother, feeling the words he had _meant_ to say die in his throat.

Sesshomaru wouldn't want his pity, wouldn't appreciate it either. So Inuyasha said nothing, instead continuing to walk forwards. The sun was quickly beginning to set, pale light washing over the group as the sky erupted in hues of pinks and yellows.

"I don't understand what you see in that _Amatsu_ guy." Inuyasha said, starting a completely new topic of conversation. "He's annoying as I don't know what. I'd say he's worse than Shippo."

Sesshomaru tilted his head slightly to the side.

"There is nothing to see, Inuyasha. I am not basing my decision on good traits. As a lord of my standing, the only qualities I can hope for when searching for a mate, is that they are physically appealing, and I am able to stand them being in my presence for more than five minutes. And when dealing with youkai who are in my position, the list is relatively short."

Sesshomaru was almost unable to suppress a frown at his words. It was true, most of it. Amatsu _was_ the only person who met those specific qualifications, but Sesshomaru wished for so much more. It had gotten to the point that he didn't think he'd ever find a mate that would be able to satisfy him.

He _did_ have a few qualities that he looked for and admired when searching for potential mates.

Amatsu had none.

He put up such a façade of fake pleasantries that it sickened the demon lord. He acted like he would give you a choice when dealing with matters, but the truth was that eventually he would _take_ what he wanted. He was too calm, too collected, his poker face rivaled Sesshomaru's himself, though instead of hiding behind an icy mask Amatsu shielded himself with a haughty smirk.

In fact, he was rather the opposite of one _annoying _half-demon . . .

Sesshomaru's brain froze at that thought, and all coherent notions stopped.

. . . No, that hadn't been what he had meant.

What he had been _trying_ to say was that . . .

Sesshomaru frowned.

Inuyasha found his brow furrowing when he heard his brother's words. And he found himself speaking without thinking.

"That reasoning is just ridiculous. You shouldn't stand for something less than you deserve."

The half-demon's eyes widened when he actually _thought_ about what he had just said.

Sesshomaru didn't seem to notice the unintentional compliment.

"That may be true, but it is irrelevant in this particular case. I need to take a mate soon, and Amatsu is the only worthy candidate."

The half-demon felt the jealousy grow within him once more and he barely pushed back a growl.

"Well what about m—!!"

Inuyasha clamped his mouth shut once he realized what he had almost said.

What in the world was he doing?!

He had started this conversation so that Sesshomaru wouldn't be all pissy, _not_ because he had wanted the demon lord to know that he— his _youkai_, was expressing interest in him!

Sesshomaru turned to look at him curiously.

He knew very well what the hanyou was about to say.

What he didn't know was _why._

The half-demon was declaring himself as a potential mate.

Sesshomaru felt slightly . . . flustered.

And . . . pleased?

His frown grew deeper.

An awkward silence grew between them as Inuyasha cursed himself, clenching his fists and blushing darkly.

"I mean, what I _meant _was—"

"I am perfectly aware of what you meant, otouto." Sesshomaru interrupted, finding himself unable to look at his younger brother.

Inuyasha's head turned at the name.

Seeing as there was no way he could possibly talk to Sesshomaru after _that_ slip up, he began walking faster, pulling in front of the youkai and grumbling to himself.

What in the world was happening to him?

* * *

foxgirl: sorry for the long wait... it took me a while to get this chapter how I wanted it, and I still don't think it's exactly perfect. If you guys have any ideas on how to make it better, please share. I think I'm moving the story along too quickly...

VIXEN: Hah! My name is in caps! Review please!


	5. Sensitivity

* * *

Chapter Five: Sensitivity

* * *

The group continued onward, all of them oblivious to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's previous conversation, therefore completely ignorant to the confusion and dread they were both going through

As they continued walking, it grew darker and darker as night settled in. Faint glimpses of the sun could still be seen peeking over the horizon. Inuyasha had stopped all internal arguments, as they were starting to make him seem more than a little crazy. Filling his head with the wonderfulness of nothing he continued on walking forward, _not_ thinking about what would happen when they reached Chikotsu's castle, and _not _thinking about how Sesshomaru was agreeing to mate with that annoying fox demon. Nope. Definitely not.

Sesshomaru was trying to work out in his head why in the world he had felt _flustered_ of all things after Inuyasha made his little slip-up. It was just Inuyasha after all, a half-demon, not _near_ worthy enough to even consider as a prospective mate.

That was his story and he was sticking to it.

While all this was going on, Kirara was working on her plan to secretly hook up the two inu brothers. She hadn't gotten very far, Rin kept dangling this very addictive and wiggly piece of string in front of her, presumably a loose thread from her kimono. She would try to bat at it, and the girl would pull it away _just_ before she got it. She was determined to _win_ against this child.

No one was expecting the loud cry that rang across the clearing then. Twin shouts of anger, sounding more like the roars of monsters.

Everyone turned at the noise, and the group barely had time to react as two large, blue youkai came running through the trees.

Inuyasha cursed slightly, running forwards and grabbing Kagome, moving her out of harms way as quickly as possible (typical.)

Once he was sure she was safe, he turned back to look at the new threats, growling lightly.

Why hadn't he smelt them coming?

Inuyasha took an experimental sniff of the wind and found that these youkai _had _no scent. Now that he thought about it, these things did seem rather familiar . . .

That's when he recognized them.

They were just a much _larger_ version of the exploding demon he had fought earlier. He frowned, drawing Tetsaisga.

The rest of the group were getting their bearings as well, Sango grabbing her Hairaikotsu as Miroku fingered the prayer beads around his cursed hand.

Sesshomaru, who had fallen after protecting Rin from the demon's stampeding, released her from under his arm and stood. He frowned, and his eyes narrowed dangerously as he drew Tokijin and growled.

These demons had _deliberately_ tried to hurt Rin.

They would pay.

It took the daiyoukai a moment to realize that he couldn't wield his sword.

At hearing Sesshomaru's declaration of battle, one of the blue youkai turned, howling angrily once more. It changed its course, charging towards the daiyoukai instead now. The demon lord faltered as he realized with a flash of adrenaline that he could do nothing. The grip on his sword loosened slightly as he hurriedly assessed his situation.

He couldn't move out of the way, if he did, it would accomplish nothing but alerting the lower level demon of the fact that he was weak. Any youkai with this information would surely sell it to the highest bidder. Then there was no telling what kinds of demons would be after him. But if he simply stood there he would surely . . .

Sesshomaru's eyes stayed calm as the large demons rampaged closer and closer to the demon lord. He couldn't even calculate it's movements, it was going to _fast_. He had no opportunities to even jump out of the way; the chances of success trying _that_ were slim to none. Unconsciously he took a step back from the threat, his lips parting slightly as he realized that for the first time in the daiyoukai's life, there was _nothing he could do_. He tried to think back to the time that his youkai had come forth. What had he done then? He . . . he had been angry. Sesshomaru's face remained impassive as he tried to access his inner demon. He wouldn't allow the brief flashes of fear that he felt to be revealed on his face. Let the demon believe that he was allowing the attack, to obtain some ulterior motive.

He frowned when he realized that his attempts weren't _working_. He could feel the power growing . . . and then it simply stopped, dying down to almost nothing.

He felt something building within his throat and opened his mouth wider to speak.

Sesshomaru felt his lips moving before he realized what he had said, and then there was the feeling of something _sharp_ embedding into his chest.

"_Inuyasha_."

"LORD SESSHOMARU!"

"MILORD!"

For a moment, the demon lord felt nothing. He was completely numb.

Then pain coursed through his senses, and he gasped as the force of the blow sent him flying back. He was barely even able to register what was happening to him before he crumpled into a heap as he landed on the ground, eyes fluttering shut and his head falling to the side slightly.

Silver hair splayed out around him as blood leaked from the wound in his torso.

Inuyasha had just managed to bring down the first of the blue demons with Sango's help, when he heard the faint whisper of his name being called. The sound was accompanied by Jaken and Rin shouting for Sesshomaru, and his head snapped to the side, his eyes widened as he was greeted with the terrifying sight of the large youkai barreling straight towards Sesshomaru.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion then, and Inuyasha watched with sickening clarity as Sesshomaru, helpless to do anything stood unmoving. He could hear his youkai's furious screams in his head, shouting for him to do something, _anything_ to protect his brother. It was horrifying to watch when the demon made contact, it's deadly claws slicing into Sesshomaru's chest with enough force to send him flying back. His inner demon grew quiet then, it's silent fury spurning Inuyasha to move.

'**Kagome isn't the one we should have been protecting.'** It growled.

The half-demon watched in shock as Sesshomaru fell, hitting the ground with a sickening thud and little more than a pained gasp, before his amber orbs fell closed.

Inuyasha blinked, willing himself to _move_.

Suddenly everything began to speed up, the moment replaying in his head again and again, before finally a growl fell past his lips. Inuyasha felt fear run through his veins, and behind the fright, he could feel immense anger building. His eyes tinged red for a moment before he tightened his grip on Tetsaisga, lunging towards the blue youkai with the intent to kill.

'_**Yes. **_**How **_**dare**_** that pathetic youkai lay a claw on what's **_**mine.**_**'**

And with that thought Inuyasha slashed his sword towards the demon, growling furiously when it lunged out of the way. His attacks never relented, and he felt a power that he usually didn't posses guiding his weapon.

Sango, had been about to step into the fight, preparing Hairaikotsu, when she saw the look in Inuyasha's eyes.

It caused her to pause in her actions, and she watched, slightly confused as the Tetsaisga sliced cleanly through the demons middle. Miroku's eyes had widened as he watched the scene, and Kagome, who had ran over to the demon lord the instant he had fallen, didn't seem to notice.

They had never seen Inuyasha so . . . _angry_.

Kagome knelt by the demon lord's side, looking at him with growing worry. Rin had stumbled over, calling for her lord in fear, not understanding why he wouldn't open his eyes.

He _always_ looked at her when she called for him.

Inuyasha wasted no time sheathing his sword once he was sure the demon was dead, darting over to his brother and falling to his knees by his pale form. He stared down at the wounds across his chest, tearing through his kimono and the shirt he wore underneath, staining the white fabrics with blood.

Even now, his wounds continued to bleed profusely.

Inuyasha felt angry, angry with Sesshomaru for not wearing his armor, angry with _himself_ for not protecting his pack . . .

"Dammit Sesshomaru . . ." The half demon whispered, lifting a clawed hand to touch his brother's face.

However the appendage retreated when he heard the others approaching, opting instead to rest it on Moko-moko-sama lightly.

"Inuyasha is he okay?" Miroku asked, leaning down to inspect Sesshomaru's wounds more carefully.

The half-demon opened his mouth to speak, and found that the only thing that came out was a soft whimper. He tried again, unable to look away from his brother's broken form.

"His . . . heart's still beating, if that's what you mean. But . . ."

"But?" Kagome interjected, looking over at the hanyou with concern laced onto her features. "But what?"

Inuyasha swallowed thickly as he watched his brother's breathing grow shallower every moment.

"His wounds should be healing by now . . . which means that Chikotsu's spell affected _those_ abilities as well . . ."

The half-demon found that he couldn't continue, and he turned his eyes to the ground, his claws gouging holes into the dirt as Inuyasha felt despair grow within him. His youkai was mourning the occurrence fervently; its whines clear in his mind. It wanted him to _do_ something, _anything_ . . . but he felt powerless.

Miroku, sensing Inuyasha's distraught state, took over, placing his hand lightly on the miko's shoulder.

"He's dying, Kagome."

* * *

Sango watched Inuyasha as he carried his brother, desperately looking for a stream to cleanse his wounds.

And with every moment, he only seemed to grow more frantic.

She was highly confused.

She hadn't expected him to be so concerned, it was_ Sesshomaru_ after all. But it appeared that the half-demon was extremely distraught over the current situation.

The group had been running for five full minutes before they found a suitable, safe location. With fresh, running water and plenty of trees to provide cover.

Inuyasha set the demon lord down gently on the bank by the river, as Kagome fumbled in her bag to get out bandages.

The demon lords wounds had stopped bleeding, for the most part, but he hadn't woken up yet, proof of the gravity of the situation.

Suddenly Kagome stopped all movement, sniffling slightly.

"Inuyasha . . ." She began, her words wavering. "If he can't heal himself then . . . I don't— I mean, I'm not sure if he'll—!" She stopped here, drawing in a shaky breath. "I don't . . . I don't know what to do—!" Kagome cut herself off by bursting into tears, her shoulders shaking harshly.

She had always been overly emotional in situations she _knew_ wouldn't be able to fix themselves.

Sesshomaru may have been a heartless bastard by Inuyasha's book, but he didn't deserve to die.

Inuyasha placed a hand on her shoulder, the only comfort he could give her at the moment.

"Do what you can, Kagome."

o0o

Night had fallen now, and everyone had fallen asleep, Rin only able to after Kagome had convinced her that the demon lord wouldn't want her to worry. Jaken took a little more convincing, though after Inuyasha hit him over the head rather hard when he wouldn't quite squawking, he became considerably more manageable when he fell unconscious. The only one who hadn't succumbed to the darkness was Inuyasha.

Instead he stayed at Sesshomaru's side, watching him, unable to tear his eyes away from the unsettling sight.

He was . . . afraid. He couldn't help but be, even after all their years of constant fighting and his recent feelings of . . . well, odd feelings. He sighed, removing his hands from the sleeves of his haori and sitting up on his haunches.

He was angry. Angry at the youkai for doing this to Sesshomaru, angry at his brother for not wearing his armor, and angry at himself for caring.

He scowled, narrowing his eyes at his brother as he felt them sting with unshed tears.

"Bastard." He growled lightly, reaching up a clawed hand and brushing it down the demon lord's face.

He was unusually cold.

Every few seconds Inuyasha would stop all movement, to ensure that he could still hear the daiyoukai's faint heartbeat. For a couple agonizing moments, all would be silent.

And then a dull thump would permeate the quiet, filling Inuyasha with relief, and fear that it would soon stop.

He didn't know how to use Tensaisga, wasn't even sure if he could. And Inuyasha was flooded with the feeling of being utterly powerless.

All was quiet. The darkness settled over the land like a blanket, enveloping everything in silence. Sesshomaru's breathing accelerated slightly, his head shifting a bit to the side.

And then, Sesshomaru began to stir, putting Inuyasha's senses on hyper alert.

The demon lord's eyes opened wearily as he took in a shaky breath, amber orbs looking around for something unknown.

Their gazes met for a moment, and the half-demon felt relief overcome his senses.

There was a minute of silence between the two, before the demon lord looked away, attempting to sit up slowly.

He gasped in pain as the wound from his chest made itself known, and Inuyasha instantly acted, catching his torso before it could fall back to the ground.

"Baka!" He reprimanded, making sure to keep his voice low so that he wouldn't wake the others. "You shouldn't be moving around!"

Sesshomaru simply turned a weary glance his way, pain leaking through his features.

He didn't comment on the fact that Inuyasha was still holding him.

Neither of them spoke again as the demon lord's eyes closed and he leaned into Inuyasha's embrace, his breathing slowing as he fell unconscious once more.

Inuyasha couldn't help but blush at how easily Sesshomaru submitted to his warmth, though he assumed it was simply because he was still tired.

The half-demon absentmindedly ran a hand through the demon lord's silken locks, looking up at the sky.

And he held Sesshomaru tightly all through the night.

o0o

Miroku was the first to awaken the next morning, yawning and stretching. He looked over to the demon lord to ascertain his condition, and sighed when he saw that there were still no signs of him waking up.

But the thing that he found odd, was that Sesshomaru was resting safely in Inuyasha's arms.

And the half-demon was stroking said daiyoukai's hair almost subconsciously it appeared, staring off into the distance.

Miroku rose from his position and coughed slightly to alert Inuyasha of his presence, before getting up and going to sit by his friend.

The half-demon turned to him, scowling slightly.

"What do ya want Miroku?" He asked, still feeling a little jumpy because of what had happened.

The monk smiled gently at the hanyou.

"My friend, is there a reason why you are so concerned about your brother?"

Inuyasha looked away, refusing to allow the embarrassment he felt show on his face.

"I'm not _concerned_, I just don't want him dying without helping us defeat Naraku!"

Inuyasha unconsciously tightened his hold on his brother, stopping his hand from stroking Sesshomaru's soft tresses (more alliteration! . . . sorry) and moving it to rest on his shoulder.

Miroku quirked an eyebrow.

"Inuyasha, if you are not concerned, then why are you squeezing him so? I'm sure Sesshomaru would not appreciate being fawned over."

Inuyasha sputtered out incoherent words, attempting to answer while quickly letting go of his brother so that he was resting on the ground instead. Miroku held his hands out in an offer of peace, stopping the hanyou's ramblings.

"I did not come over here to embarrass you. I wanted to talk to you about a serious matter."

Hearing the tone in Miroku's voice Inuyasha glanced at him curiously. Miroku was very rarely ever serious.

"Your brother is very vulnerable right now, what happened yesterday proves this. If Naraku happens upon us during our journey, he will undoubtedly find out about Sesshomaru's weakness. And I'm sure he has no qualms about taking advantage of it to end his life."

Inuyasha looked down as Miroku spoke.

He had _completely_ forgotten about Naraku. And that was unusual, seeing as the spider demon was usually never far from his mind.

"I _know_ that Miroku. But what can we do? We're already heading to Chikotsu's castle, there's nothing more—"

"That was precisely what I wanted to bring up." Miroku interrupted, shifting slightly. "Inuyasha, with such a large group it would take much longer for you two to reach the southern lands. Why don't you take Sesshomaru by yourself? Surely, you could move much faster without us slowing you down. And once Sesshomaru's abilities returned, we could once again begin the search for Naraku."

Inuyasha frowned. He didn't want to leave the others behind. And—

The half-demon's eyes grew wider as he realized what Miroku was saying.

"You want me to go _alone_ with my _brother_?!" He all but shouted, looking at the monk as if he were crazy.

Miroku sighed.

"It was just a suggestion Inuyasha. But I advise you to take it to heart." He replied, standing and going back over to sit with the others.

Inuyasha sighed, grumbling to himself about stupid monks and their stupid suggestions.

He was startled out of his reverie when Kagome came and sat by him as well, yawning slightly and eyeing Sesshomaru.

"How is he?" She asked, noticing the demon lord didn't appear to have gotten any better. She had brought bandages with her from her bag in case his wounds had begun bleeding again.

"He woke up once last night, but he fell asleep right after." Inuyasha quickly responded.

Kagome blinked.

"You . . . uh, you . . . stayed up all night with him?"

Inuyasha turned to the miko, before realizing his mistake. He looked down as a blush began coloring his face, and he scowled.

"I, er, well— hey look! He's waking up!"

Kagome took the bait and turned her gaze to Sesshomaru, gasping softly. Inuyasha sighed in relief, even more so when Sesshomaru actually _did_ begin to stir, his eyes opening slowly, before shutting as the light from the sun hit his face.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome said, slightly surprised. "How do you feel?"

The daiyoukai's eyes blinked open once more, and he didn't bother attempting to sit up this time, instead simply turning towards the human girl.

He said nothing, but stared at her with a look that accurately conveyed, 'I have frickin' _holes_ in my chest and your asking me how I _feel_? How do you _think_?

Kagome seemed to grow uncomfortable under his stare and looked away, coughing nervously.

Inuyasha looked down at Sesshomaru's torso, and sure enough, their stark white was slowly being replaced by a crimson color. The half-demon grimaced, and he cursed himself for not noticing earlier. All the demon lord could seem to think was that he had done it again. He had passed out, _again_. It was official.

He was a bitch.

That was all there was to it.

"Well . . . I should, uh, re-bandage your wounds. It looks like you've bled through these ones."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, the rest of his body not appearing to move an inch. Sesshomaru appeared slightly uncomfortable with the notion, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"That is not necessary."

Kagome and Inuyasha blinked, surprised.

"I do not want you soiling—"

"Bastard!" Inuyasha interrupted. He could already guess what the demon lord was saying. Sesshomaru's eyes opened at the interjection, and he glared. "Do not—"

"Kagome's the reason why you're alive! Why if it wasn't for her—"

Sesshomaru cut him off this time, by sitting up abruptly, his eyes narrowed and dangerous.

"Be silent half-breed! Who said that I wanted the miko's help in the first place?"

Inuyasha growled, completely forgetting the fact that his brother was injured, and opening his mouth to argue.

"What, you'd rather be _dead_? What the hell is your _problem _Sesshomaru?! All ANYONE _in_ this group has done is tried to help you, and you go around behaving like an _arrogant prick_. You never change bastard! You should be glad that we even saved your ass at all! It's YOUR fault that you're so _weak_ in the first place, and without MY help, you'd probably be dead by now! I don't know why I bothered, seeing as we all know I _hate you_. I don't see how _anyone _could even tolerate you with your uppity attitude! All your talk about pure-bloods and full demons, well look who's the pathetic one NOW!"

All was silent. Sesshomaru's glare had faded and instead his eyes were looking at the half-demon in an emotion that looked foreign on the daiyoukai's face.

For some reason, he felt as if he were breaking. Into tiny little pieces.

Inuyasha was seething. He didn't know _why_ he was so angry all of a sudden, but he was really _pissed_ that Sesshomaru _still_ thought nothing of humans even after all they'd done for him. He was upset that regardless of everything, the demon lord still refused to accept hi— his . . . friends.

Blood was now leaking through Sesshomaru's bandages, but the daiyoukai didn't even seem to notice.

Sesshomaru didn't know what to say.

"I . . . do not want you . . . soiling . . ." He started again, seeming to be having trouble speaking. He decided the best course of action would simple be to act as if he _hadn't_ been affected by Inuyasha's words, and to simply continue on as before.

The half demon's eyes narrowed, and he was about to retaliate once more when his brother continued.

"Your hands with . . . with my blood. I would prefer to heal myself." He finished finally, glancing over at Kagome, before taking the bandages she had placed beside her and standing with difficulty. The daiyoukai then proceeded to walk as gracefully as he could while he was injured, over to the river about ten feet away from them, wading into the water without removing the rest of his clothing.

Inuyasha blinked before his mouth went dry as he realized his mistake.

He looked to the side to find Kagome glaring at him scathingly.

"Inuyasha." She growled. "Go apologize."

The half-demon scowled, though his ears pressed flat against his head as guilt grew within him.

"W-why should I? He's said much worse things to me you know!" He responded, crossing his arms stubbornly. Regardless, his youkai was currently angry as well, yelling at him to go and make up with his brother. Or, preferably, kiss, and make up.

"Sit boy!"

Inuyasha yelped as he was slammed into the ground, before Kagome walked away, turning her nose up angrily.

"_Apologize._" She commanded, before going back to the fire the other two humans had started to fix breakfast.

The half-demon cursed as the spell wore off, before standing and glaring back towards Kagome, frowning darkly.

But he stepped over to the river regardless, standing at its banks with his arms crossed.

Sesshomaru had unwrapped the bandages, leaving his chest bare. Inuyasha thought he could see him shivering slightly, but wrote it off as a trick of the eyes. The daiyoukai was currently cleaning his wounds gently, ignoring the hanyou.

"Oi, Sesshomar—"

"What is it you want. I do not want you to speak to me simply so the miko will not harbor anymore anger."

Sesshomaru wasn't in the mood for this. He felt as if he were going to _die_, and though he knew it would help, the water was freezing, and he didn't enjoy being cold.

Inuyasha scowled, sitting down abruptly onto his haunches.

"Bastard! I'm not here because _Kagome_ told me to come!"

Sesshomaru refused to look at the half-demon, wading over the riverbank where he had left the roll of clean bandages sat.

"Hey! Are you listening!"

The daiyoukai's lips turned down slightly as he responded.

"Then what is your purpose? Surely, you are not here to take back your words. There is no honor in saying things you do not mean."

Inuyasha bit his lip slightly, looking away from his brother.

He _hadn't_ meant it.

But what was the point in saying that now?

"Well . . . why do you care what I say anyways!? You've always made it a point to tell me that nothing I said mattered." Inuyasha grumbled bitterly, switching his gaze back to the shirtless demon.

Sesshomaru whipped around to face him, his silver hair swaying lightly in the water. He glared at the half-demon, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I _do not_." The sentence was said in his normal monotone voice, but it was . . . different somehow. Inuyasha frowned, edging closer the water.

"Well you were acting like it, the way you got all quiet and sulked over here like a pup with his feelings hurt." The half-demon argued.

Sesshomaru didn't like that simile at all.

"Inuyasha." He growled, advancing towards his brother.

Said half-demon frowned as Sesshomaru came closer to him, unable to move away from the daiyoukai. Inadvertently, his eyes found the gashes on Sesshomaru's once perfect body, and his frown grew guiltily. His gaze switched back to Sesshomaru's face and he noticed how _close_ the demon lord had gotten. He wanted to back away, but instead felt his face heating as the demon lord only grew angrier.

"This Sesshomaru does not sulk." He stated calmly, before swiftly and gracefully, yanking Inuyasha into the water by his kimono.

There was a loud 'splash!' as the half-demon fell in, not expecting the attack and sputtering indignantly as he came to the surface.

"What the hell was that for!" He shouted as his older sibling began to climb out of the water.

"You deserved it, little brother." Sesshomaru said crossly, wringing his hair out so that it wouldn't get his wounds wet once he began bandaging them.

Inuyasha grumbled angrily, jumping out of the river.

Sesshomaru's pristine white pants were dripping with water, making them heavier despite the light material.

Wet pants. Pain. Dripping hair.

His life _sucked_.

Resisting the urge to sigh, he (gracefully) picked up the roll of bandages, and began the difficult process of wrapping his wounds with one arm.

. . . He hadn't been thinking about his . . . disability when he told the miko he could do it himself.

The daiyoukai appeared to be having trouble, and his perfect face was marred with a horribly annoyed expression as he tried again and again to successfully wrap the bandages around himself at least _one_ time.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, going over to his brother and sitting down in front of him.

"Idiot, you're doing it all wrong." The hanyou chastised, grabbing the roll from Sesshomaru.

The demon lord glared.

"And when did you become an expert?" He snapped.

Oh yes, Sesshomaru was in a pissy mood. The only thing that gave him solace was that his wounds _did_ appear to be healing at a rate faster than a humans, which meant that his youkai wasn't _completely_ gone, just suppressed. He also felt extremely tired, and assumed it was because his body was focusing all it's energy on healing the lacerations.

"Just shut up."

Inuyasha then proceeded to wrap the demon lord's wounds, delicately holding one end of the bandage against the daiyoukai's chest and leaning closer to bind it all the way around him firmly and securely.

Sesshomaru tensed as the half-demon came nearer to him, attempting to ignore the feather light touches across his torso.

There was quiet between them for a moment, before Inuyasha spoke again.

"I . . . didn't mean it. I don't really think of . . . you . . . like that . . ."

Sesshomaru was surprised by the half-demons words, and turned his head towards his brothers, staring at him curiously. This brought their faces even closer together, and Inuyasha could feel himself blushing when he noticed their proximity.

The demon lord felt oddly . . . relieved when he took Inuyasha's little speech in completely, not wanting to admit that he _had_ been affected when the half-demon began spewing insults. Sesshomaru's lips parted to say something, and he noticed Inuyasha's eyes flickering down towards his mouth. He abruptly closed it, looking away in what he _guessed_ was embarrassment.

Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do.

He had already finished bandaging the demon lord's torso, but he honestly didn't feel like pulling away just yet, though he knew if he didn't soon he would end up doing something foolish.

His thoughts were interrupted by the smell of ramen permeating his senses, and his eyes switched to the campsite where he could see Kagome busily preparing his 'breakfast'.

Right.

Kagome.

Remembering that he _didn't_ like Sesshomaru and this was just a _phase_ he was going through, he stood, avoiding the daiyoukai's eyes.

The demon lord himself ignored the throbbing in his chest, and regained his bearings, preparing to stand when he noticed Inuyasha holding his hand out.

The half-demon figured, since the demon lord only had one arm, he probably didn't have a very good sense of balance. And he had been injured, so it would be hard for him to function as he normally did. It was these excuses that allowed him to offer a hand to Sesshomaru, scowling and looking away as he did so.

He held back a gasp as he felt Sesshomaru's hand in his, and then a slight weight as the daiyoukai stood.

The appendage felt very . . . soft. And Inuyasha found himself eyeing the magenta stripes that snaked across the back of Sesshomaru's hands curiously. When Sesshomaru didn't pull away immediately, the half-demon decided to take a chance.

Using his thumb, he brushed across one of the marks, feeling that they were a slightly different texture than the rest of the daiyoukai's skin.

Sesshomaru felt the sensation, his senses going on hyper alert as one of his most sensitive areas was touched.

Inuyasha's ears perked up slightly, his eyes widening in surprise when he heard Sesshomaru let out a soft moan, and he glanced up to see the demon lord's eyelids lowering slightly.

Inuyasha froze, his thumb lingering on the magenta-colored streak as he tried to process what he had just done, and Sesshomaru made no other movements, his face twisting into a look of shock and embarrassment.

The expression didn't last long.

The daiyoukai snatched his hand back, looking in the opposite direction as he walked up to the little camp that everyone had set up.

Apparently those marks were . . . delicate.

Inuyasha, who seemed to realize what had happened, blushed as he recalled the little noise the demon lord had made.

It was . . .

'**I believe **_**sexy**_** is the word you're looking for.'**

Inuyasha scowled internally, before following the path Sesshomaru had taken and taking a seat beside Kagome.

Sesshomaru was . . . mortified.

In every sense of the word.

Yes, his marks were . . . very susceptible to contact, but how could he allow himself to lose control like that? This was _Inuyasha_ for goodness' sakes!

"Did you two make up?" Kagome asked, handing Inuyasha his ramen.

Inuyasha resisted the urge to blush like a schoolgirl and look away, instead deciding to go with a simple nod, and unintelligible 'mmhm.', before beginning to stuff his face so that she wouldn't ask him any more questions.

"Sesshomaru you shouldn't be moving around to much. You don't want to reopen your wounds." Kagome lectured, pointing at the bandages streaking across the daiyoukai's torso. Sesshomaru gave her no acknowledgement. The miko sighed, expecting as much.

"Are you feeling alright milord?" Jaken asked, running over to the demon lord. Sesshomaru gave him a soft 'Hn.' He didn't particularly feel like socializing at the moment. But then again, when did he?

"Would you like me to pick you some more flowers Lord Sesshomaru? Maybe they'll make you feel better!" Rin suggested, smiling widely at the daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru couldn't bring himself to just say 'no' to the child, so instead he just sighed softly.

"As you wish Rin."

He really _did_ appreciate the flowers. It was just that it was _so _hard to look intimidating with a daisy perched behind your ear.

"Oh!" Kagome suddenly exclaimed, thinking of something of importance (for once. No, just kidding. . . . Kind of.). "Um, your shirts are over there," Kagome began, pointing to Ah-Un, "But they were pretty badly shredded . . ."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to sigh.

Of course.

So, what was he going to wear? He would rather walk around shirtless than wear torn garments.

"Inuyasha, why don't you give him the robe of the fire rat until he obtains new clothing?" Miroku suggested, knowing that Inuyasha had another haori* still underneath it. Both the brothers turned to look at the monk, one glaring scathingly and the other simply staring.

"And why in the seven hells would I do that?"

"SIT BOY!"

As Inuyasha fell towards the ground (much to Sesshomaru's delight) Kagome turned towards the daiyoukai.

"Sesshomaru, how did your wounds look? Are they getting any better?"

The demon lord nodded stoically (though how he managed to make an _action_ stoic was beyond her).

"They are closing at an abnormally slow pace."

Kagome sighed in relief.

"Well at least you're healing. If you were human why, right now you'd probably be . . ." She coughed. "Er, I mean uh . . . Inuyasha, isn't it about time you caught Sesshomaru's breakfast?"

Inuyasha crawled out of the hole Kagome's latest command had made.

"And why should I? He should get his own damn food!"

"SIT BOY!!"

He just never learns, does he?

Sesshomaru, who was ignoring the exchange between the miko and the hanyou, could feel a constant throbbing in his chest. It was excruciatingly painful. Once more he found himself cursing Chikotsu for her magical leaves and all around stupidness.

Being in his brother's company for so long also had appeared to have dulled his vocabulary.

Wonderful.

He sighed as a particularly painful pulse went through him, glancing upwards towards the sky.

His pants were wet, his favorite kimono was in tatters, and people wouldn't stop calling him 'Fluffy'.

It was official.

Karma was getting its revenge.

* * *

Foxgirl: This chapter was modified, thanks to feedback from DarkAngelJudas. Thank you so much for the review, and I know it took a while for me to change it, but I appreciate your help. I really think that it made the chapter better.! ^_^


	6. Uneeded Complications

foxgirl: **I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! **Here's the chapter that took me forever to get up. I'll try to update sooner next time. Hopefully by next week.

Once again, sorry!

* * *

Chapter Six: Uneeded Complications.

* * *

Everyone else in the group was getting a little testy from the constant travel. Sango's slaps to Miroku becoming harder and more frequent every time he got a little too friendly with her ass. Kagome tried to start up a conversation with Inuyasha, but the hanyou was so absorbed in his current problem that he completely ignored the miko.

Which of course, made her angry.

"SIT BOY!"

"Gah!"

"Inuyasha _what_ did you do this time?" Miroku asked, rubbing his sore cheek. Inuyasha glared up at him.

He was doing nothing to help his mood. Not to mention the fact that he was very agitated at the moment, because he just couldn't seem to fathom why this crazy chick's home had to be so far south!

He stood, brushing himself off angrily.

Kagome 'hmphed', walking ahead of the half-demon and turning up her nose. At the moment, Inuyasha could care less.

Sesshomaru glanced at the half-demon curiously. He seemed more tense than usual, as typically the half-breed realized that ignoring the miko resulted in pain. The daiyoukai twitched slightly, allowing his eyes to slide close as the gashes across his chest pulsed harder. The ache was now simply a dull throb in his chest, but he found it highly annoying. The mighty lord Sesshomaru, reduced to something like this.

He shifted a bit, pulling up Inuyasha's kimono a little higher over his shoulders. He didn't like only wearing one layer of clothing. He felt . . . exposed. The daiyoukai winced as the soft fabric brushed against the lacerations on his chest. He sighed. For the moment, he needed some sort of distraction. Honey-golden eyes searched before finally landing on what looked to be their twins. Sesshomaru pondered for a moment, before deciding.

Increasing his pace the slightest bit, his regal stride soon fell in step with his brothers who was currently glaring daggers at the ground in front of him.

"Inuyasha." He spoke simply.

The half demon started, jumping slightly before looking up at Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha inwardly cursed.

Just the person he did NOT want to see.

"What do you want, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha grumbled, tearing his gaze away from the graceful inu-youkai.

Sesshomaru thought over his response.

"You seem very distracted as of late. You should be keeping your mind on the task at hand."

Inuyasha sputtered indignantly. "W-What! Hey, don't tell me what to do Sesshomaru! _I'm_ not the one who _wasted_ a whole day sleeping!"

Sesshomaru frowned. That wasn't his fault. He was injured. If it was up to _him,_ he wouldn't even be here. But, he decided not to pick a fight. That would solve nothing, and he wasn't in the mood to tease the half-demon right now.

"Need I remind you that the sooner we reach Chikotsu's house, the sooner you will be able to continue your search for Naraku?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms.

"I _know_ that!"

The daiyoukai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The half-demon was acting like a child.

Ignoring him for a second, he frowned at his sleeve, at _Inuyasha's_ sleeve. Because he had pulled the kimono further towards his neck, the sleeve had become even shorter. He scowled, his eyebrows narrowing as he pressed his hand against his side to grasp the sleeve, pulling it down and over his wrist once more.

Then he sighed when he felt the air on the junction where his neck and shoulder met, seeing that this must have caused the kimono to slip further from it's proper place.

Inuyasha turned back towards his brother. "And _another_ thing—"

His mouth suddenly went dry as he saw that Sesshomaru seemed to be having . . . problems with his kimono. He had pulled the sleeve down over his wrist, tugging at the top and causing more and _more_ of the pale flesh around his neck to be exposed. His mouth snapped shut as the half-demon resumed walking forwards. He could feel his face beginning to grow hot and growled in frustration.

What was _wrong_ with him?

Why in the world did this keep happening?

Sesshomaru, who had noticed the half-breed's state, turned to him, one fine silver eyebrow raising curiously.

"Inuyasha?"

Said hanyou scowled.

"Keh. Fix your kimono." He commanded.

Sesshomaru frowned slightly but followed the order, sighing when he realized that no matter what he tried he just wasn't going to get what he wanted.

The half demon felt a mixture of relief and disappointment as the milky-white skin disappeared.

The two continued walking as a somewhat comfortable silence fell over them. Inuyasha stole a glance at the daiyoukai, relieved to find that he wasn't fidgeting with his sleeves any longer.

Inuyasha sighed, looking down.

Whether he liked it or not, something was changing. Despite his hardest attempts to fight it. The half-demon frowned. The hatred between them that had once flourished had dwindled down to a small flame. His amber eyes found Sesshomaru once more, and he found himself wondering if he could feel it as well.

"Sesshomaru—"

"Inuyasha."

The two brothers blinked at the feminine voice that had interrupted their 'conversation'. Inuyasha turned to see Kagome walking on his other side, an odd expression on her face.

Inuyasha looked over to Sesshomaru, but it seemed the demon lord had taken the hint and was already slowing his stride, so as to fall behind the two. He didn't particularly care for the miko, and though he _had_ been curious about what the half-demon had been about to say, he decided that leaving them be would be best.

"Inuyasha . . ." Kagome repeated. The half-demon turned to her fully now, the guilt from his earlier escapades sinking in. Her brown eyes found his, filled with an unknown emotion.

"You . . . haven't been yourself lately. Is there anything you want to talk about?" She asked, inwardly pleading for him to be honest with her.

The hanyou tensed. "I'm _fine_ Kagome. Nothing's wrong with me, just drop it."

The miko put her head down and she didn't respond.

Immediately Inuyasha could see that he had done something wrong, especially when the particular smell of salt-water reached his nose.

Her head suddenly snapped up.

"BAKA!" She shouted. "All I _ever_ do is try to help you! Why can't you ever open up to me?" She paused here, sniffling slightly. "I'm your friend Inuyasha . . . I . . . I JUST WANTED TO HELP YOU!"

Inuyasha reached his arm out to comfort the girl, to say something that would stop her tears, but the next moment he found himself on the ground.

"SIT BOY! SIT BOY SIT BOY SIT BOY! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!" She yelled tears streaming down her cheeks.

The only other noises in the air were Inuyasha's yelps after he hit the ground, everyone else staying silent and watching the miko with silent pity. Well, except for Sesshomaru. All he could do was wince slightly as he thought about how painful it would be to be slammed into the ground in his current state.

"I'm going _HOME!_" Kagome declared angrily. "You can get Sesshomaru to Chikotsu's house by _yourself_ Inuyasha! Since he's the only person you seem to be _talking_ to nowadays!"

Kagome wiped her sleeve across her eyes, sobbing openly as she ran towards her bicycle.

"Kirara will take you to the bone eaters well, Kagome." Sango told the girl gently.

"it'll be alright, Kagome." Miroku added.

"Yeah, Inuyasha's just being a jerk!" Shippo said.

Meanwhile, a certain demon lord was watching the scene with total confusion. Hadn't the miko been the one who hurt Inuyasha? The evidence was sitting right there in the hanyou shaped crater. While the humans were comforting the human girl, Sesshomaru wandered over to Inuyasha, who was just beginning to crawl out of the hole Kagome had put him in.

He was grumbling slightly under his breath, rubbing his aching head.

"Explain something to me half-breed." Sesshomaru said to him, sounding slightly bored.

"I ain't gotta explain nothi—"

"Why do you allow that human girl to treat you as such? Surely it's not because you _enjoy_ her punishments?"

"Of course not!" Inuyasha spat, brushing some dirt out of his hair.

Sesshomaru paused. "Then . . ." He began. "You have feelings for the miko? Do you see her as a potential mate?"

There was a short pause between them, before Inuyasha 'keh'ed, standing fully.

"I don't know anymore." Inuyasha said, scowling and crossing his arms. "I know that she cares about me but . . ."

Sesshomaru scoffed, startling the hanyou out of his reverie.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru looked at him, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"It seems to me that your miko is extremely disrespectful. She wants you to _belong_ to her, to follow every order she gives, and then throws a tantrum when things do not go her way. She punishes _you_ to ensure that she still has control . . . and for some reason everyone seems to be on her side. I do not understand."

Inuyasha blinked.

Sure, Kagome abused the power she had over him, (though most of the time he deserved it) but it was almost as if Sesshomaru was asking why he wasn't doing something about it.

"Inu-youkai are proud creatures. You should not allow yourself to be controlled in such a manner, especially from someone as spoiled as the miko."

Inuyasha felt like he should be . . . angry. Like he should defend Kagome but . . . he realized that at least _some _of what Sesshomaru said was true.

"It's . . . complicated."

"Inuyasha, why are you so mean to Kagome!" A small voice suddenly shouted. The two brothers looked down to see Shippo glaring at the hanyou, Sango and Miroku walking up from not to far behind.

Kagome was gone.

Sesshomaru felt tugging on his sleeve, and looked down to find Rin staring up at him curiously.

"What was wrong with Ms. Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru?"

He frowned slightly. "Nothing is wrong with her, Rin. She is simply throwing a fit over trivial matters."

o0o

Inuyasha was in an extremely bad mood after Kagome left, deciding much to Sango's chagrin that they would simply have to continue without her. She wanted him to go after her to apologize, but even Miroku agreed that this plan had many flaws. Therefore Inuyasha was left sulking at the front of the line, ignoring Shippo's attempts to explain to him how a lady should be treated. He could be heard grumbling under his breath every few seconds. Sesshomaru was becoming highly annoyed at the half-breed. It was _just_ that silly little miko. She was so insignificant that he had never bothered to remember her name.

And for some reason, he was also bothered because Inuyasha was so upset that she had left.

He almost felt . . . jelous.

Not that he would _ever_ even think that.

"_Moping_ so pitifully is unbecoming of an inu-youkai." The daiyoukai commented off hand, tossing his head slightly.

Inuyasha scowled, looking over at him.

"_What_ was that?" He ground out, glaring at the demon lord.

And then the daiyoukai told him three words that nobody had ever bothered to say to him when he was sulking before. Something so uncommon that it had Inuyasha stopping in his tracks as his whole expression switched to a look of surprise.

"Get over it."

With that Sesshomaru pulled in front of the hanyou, some of his silver strands hitting the half-breed in the face.

Inuyasha sputtered indignantly.

"H-Hey!"

Sango and Miroku snickered slightly as the hanyou ran, using his usual jumping stride to land in front of the Sesshomaru.

The demon slayer turned to the monk, smirking.

"You know, I think I like Sesshomaru more and more as time passes."

Miroku chuckled a bit, sidling unnoticeably closer to her.

"Yes, it _is_ rather enjoyable to see Inuyasha squirm." He smiled a bit, watching Inuyasha yell obscenities at his brother, waving his arms wildly as he shouted. He then turned back to Sango, his grin fading slightly.

"But . . . haven't you noticed that Inuyasha's been acting rather . . . odd lately?"

Sango tilted her head slightly.

"Odd? How?"

Miroku turned back towards the two silver-headed males. Sesshomaru was talking now, and whatever he was saying only seemed to make the half-demon angrier.

"He just seems to be a tad bit off. Especially around Sesshomaru."

Sango waved away the comment.

"There's always something _off _about Inuyasha. Besides, they're fighting now. Inuyasha fights with Kagome like that all the time."

Miroku glanced back, his frown growing deeper.

"Yes . . . just like with Kagome."

In the front of the group, Inuyasha was, inevitably, still shouting.

"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF, SESSHOMARU! YOU ARE SO—"

"It is not comprehensible to me why you would allow her to lead your pack. You _are_ the alpha, correct?" He spoke impatiently now, as if he were upset that it was taking Inuyasha so long to gasp this simple concept.

Inuyasha paused.

And then he realized what Sesshomaru was so confused about.

The demon lord had only been raised with demon ideals and concepts. To _him_ it appeared as if Kagome was threatening his spot for dominence. And he wanted to understand why he wasn't administering the punishments of trying to overthrow the alpha.

"Oh . . ." Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru, scowling and crossing his arms. "Feh. Don't kid yourself. Kagome is no hinderence, I'm _still_ the pack leader."

Sesshomaru frowned.

"Well of _course_ she is no hinderance. But from what I could gather from your argument, she seems to be upset that I have taken her place in the hierarchy."

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

Sesshomaru sighed in slight annoyance.

"She is distressed because I am now your beta instead of she." He explained, his claws twitching with impatience. His brother could be so _stupid_ sometimes.

"My . . . b-beta?" Inuyasha stammered, his arms uncrossing of their own accord.

Sesshomaru nodded impatiently.

There was an awkward pause as a light pink blush dusted across Inuyasha's face, for reasons he was unsure of.

"W-Wait just a second! Who said that you just automatically became beta?!"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes in sheer aggravation, continuing his elegant stride.

"Though I am _more_ powerful than you, _half-breed_," Sesshomaru started, this whole conversation giving him a headache. "This is _your_ pack. Therefore I am moved to second in command. Really, were you taught _nothing_ as a child?"

Inuyasha scowled.

"So now," Sesshomaru continued, just in case Inuyasha _still_ didn't understand what he meant, "Now I will be, for this time, under you."

Inuyasha's brain froze for a moment, as his youkai processed the double meaning to Sesshomaru's words. A dark blush crossed across the half-demons face, causing Sesshomaru to lift a fine silver brow in confusion.

Then he seemed to realize just exactly what he had implied, and he looked away, glaring daggers at the ground.

That had NOT been what he meant.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha decided to comment on Sesshomaru's earlier statement.

He pointed an accusatory finger at the daiyoukai.

"But you don't even have your strength anymore!? How are you more powerful than me?!"

Sesshomaru sighed, feeling slightly grateful at the shift in the conversation, bringing his hand up to massage his temples.

"I am speaking of course, of before this whole ordeal started."

There was a pause, and for a few glorious moments, Sesshomaru reveled in the silence they walked in for a few seconds. And then, Inuyasha opened his mouth again.

"Oh."

The daiyoukai rolled his eyes, before deciding to ignore this last offhand comment.

The group continued their pace, Sango and Miroku chatting quietly occasionally while Rin and Shippo sat on Ah-Un's back talking about nothing in particular. Jaken was with them, his head held in his hands as he miserably watched the children.

Inuyasha had once again crossed his arms as he walked, his ears swiveling in every which direction to catch any foreign noises.

However, his gaze inevitably found Sesshomaru once more, this time his eyes straying to the demon lord's chest. He winced slightly, as he thought about the gashes hidden by his crimson kimono.

The half-demon scowled, nonchalantly clearing his throat.

"Hey . . ." He said, addressing the demon lord in what he thought to be a 'casual' manner.

Sesshomaru inclined his head towards him slightly, showing that he had his attention.

Inuyasha fidgeted nervously for a minute, before casting his gaze downward.

"So . . . how are your wounds? Do they still hurt?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

"Are you really so idiotic, _half-breed_? Of course they 'still hurt'."

Inuyasha frowned, turning to glare at his older brother.

"Well _excuse me_ for being worried!"

Inuyasha was too angry at the moment to realize what he had admitted.

Sesshomaru wasn't, however.

His eyes found the half-demon, the golden hues tinted with curiosity.

"You were worried?" He asked, the slight tilting of his head the only sign to show that he was actually interested. Unexpectedly the demon lord felt a small fluttering in his chest, which he ignored, deciding it was probably due to his injuries.

There was a small pause as Inuyasha thought about what Sesshomaru was saying, what _he_ had said, before his glare grew, whipping his head away from the daiyoukai and staring off in the opposite direction.

"O-Of course not! Why should I be worried about an _egotistical bastard_ like _you_?"

Inuyasha waited for a moment, expecting a snide remark, or perhaps even a disdainful scoff. But after a few seconds of nothing, he turned towards the demon lord curiously.

There was a look of mild surprise on his face that lasted for half a second before he simply glared, turning away from the half-demon and continuing his walk forward.

He didn't care. Why should he? Sesshomaru had never _once _cared about what that pitiful _half-breed_ had thought . . . except for that one time . . . but that was it! Why in the world was he acting so differently now?

Sesshomaru's glare didn't relent as he walked forward, even more eager to get to Chikotsu's castle now. He'd rather be forced to mate with Amatsu than deal with his half brother for a moment longer.

Sesshomaru paused.

Well, perhaps he'd rather stay just a bit longer . . . yes, Inuyasha was annoying, but at least he could _stand_ the half-breed. Most of the time.

Inuyasha was a bit confused by the demon lords reaction. He had thought for _sure_ that that was grounds for another fight.

He heard his youkai groan in his head, and turned his thoughts curiously to it.

'What?' He asked, slightly annoyed that it was speaking again.

'**Why can't you just be **_**honest**_** with future mate? You hurt his feelings!'**

'Pssh. Like Sesshomaru has feeli—'

Inuyasha stopped his thoughts completely when he realized what his youkai had said.

'He is NOT my future mate!'

He exclaimed, his face burning red as he glared at the ground. He could practically _feel_ the eye roll he just _knew_ his youkai would be giving him.

'**So you're **_**really**_** going to allow him to be with Amawhatshisname?'**

Inuyasha scowled forcing his youkai back again.

It protested, before finally shutting up. If it had a physical form it would have been pouting.

Inuyasha looked to Sesshomaru, who was walking ahead of him now, contemplating the _other_ thing his youkai had mentioned.

He had . . . hurt his feelings?

The half-demon thought about it for a moment, before snorting.

Impossible.

Sesshomaru might not have _liked_ the insult, but he wouldn't let something that stupid bother him.

He stared harder at the daiyoukai, frowning slightly.

Would he?

The half-demon scoffed.

It didn't matter.

Even if he _had_ did something so seemingly impossible, it wasn't like he cared.

Inuyasha continued walking, tapping his fingers lazily against his arms.

In the back of the group, Sango and Miroku kept an eye on the two brothers, beginning to ignore them after they didn't get into too bad of an argument. The demon slayer yawned, stretching a bit. Miroku glanced over at her. Perhaps they should take a rest soon? Inuyasha wouldn't like it, but they were only human after all. He glanced back at the two-headed dragon carrying the children, discovering that they had fallen into a light slumber resting on it's saddle. Sighing, he held his staff close.

"Inuyasha." Miroku called, smiling when the half-demon turned to address him. "Perhaps we should stop for a bit? Sango and I are getting tired."

The half-demon rolled his eyes.

It had only been a day since they started their journey, and they were nowhere _near_ their destination. But he supposed Miroku was right, they had been going for a while now.

He sighed, his ears twitching slightly.

"Fine." He barked.

Tilting his nose up slightly, he looked to his left, before turning back to Miroku.

"Let's set up camp over there. There's a hotsprings not too far."

The two humans nodded. Sesshomaru barely paying attention to the hanyou due to lack of interest.

Kirara yawned slightly lifting up one of her paws to scratch at her ears.

And Inuyasha led them to the sight he had suggested, listening closely for any signs of danger.

But this was good. Hotsprings were always relaxing.

He thought about this for a moment, before frowning.

Except of course, Sesshomaru would have to join him and Miroku.

Inuyasha scowled.

'Damn it all to hell . . .'

o0o

Sango grinned. "I'll be back you guys!" She gave a little half-wave, and then, turned to Miroku. "And don't you _dare_ peep."

With that, she took hold of Rin's hand (much to Sesshomaru's discomfort), beckoned for Shippo, and walked off in the direction of the spring.

It was silent around the small area they had set up, the demon lord being left alone with the monk and the hanyou. No one really had much to say. However, Inuyasha wanted to get something across.

"Hey, Sesshomaru!"

He called, narrowing his eyes at his brother. Said demon looked up at him tiredly.

"Don't think that you're going to get 'special treatment' just because of that stick you have up your ass. If you wanna bath then you're gonna have to suffer through it with me and Miroku, got it?"

His tone had a questioning air to it, almost as if he were daring the demon lord to defy him.

Sesshomaru simply sighed softly, holding his head up, as he always did.

"If I must."

Miroku's eyes widened considerable. He hadn't _seriously_ expected Sesshomaru to agree to _that_ one. Though he wouldn't mind. The lord _was_ extremely effeminate. He found a wide grin beginning to spread across his face.

Ah, what a lovely woman Sesshomaru would make.

Miroku's overjoyed facial expressions did not escape a certain green thing.

Jaken squawked angrily. "But milord! These filthy humans –half human— don't deserve to view your uncovered flesh--!"

The toad demon was cut off as Sesshomaru hit him again, this time not appearing to put as much effort into it.

"Jaken you shall cease this incessant chatter at once."

The green creature visibly paled. Even though his lord was in no condition abuse him as he normally did, he was still fairly certain that Sesshomaru could cause him decent amount of pain. And, with him in such a weak state, that would give Jaken plenty of time to prove to his lord that he _was_ indeed worthy of his time.

By the time the girls got back Inuyasha had already set up a fire, awaiting Sango's (And Rin and the runts, of course) return.

Sesshomaru hadn't spoken since he had berated Jaken, choosing instead to stay silent and gaze at the flames licking the air. Miroku was pouting because he hadn't been able to 'make sure the girls were safe'.

"We're back!" Rin commented cheerfully, a bounce in her step. Sango grinned.

"And, no perverted monks to peek on us, either." Sango added as well. Rin giggled, not quite understanding what she was talking about. Shippo was imitating Inuyasha, walking with his arms behind his head and sighing contently.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0oo0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sesshomaru followed the monk and his brother to the spring, making sure to stay far enough away from him so that he wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

"This feels odd, Inuyasha." Miroku whispered. "Bathing with your brother?"

Inuyasha grimaced. "Yeah. But at least I managed to annoy him." He smirked. "Oh how the mighty have fallen. The 'great Lord Sesshomaru' is bathing with humans and half-breeds." He mocked.

Miroku frowned. "He'll hear you! Keep your voice low." The monk warned. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Nah. If he could he would have been bitching about that last comment."

Inuyasha informed him, glancing over his shoulder. Sesshomaru was wordlessly looking up at the sky, not even noticing his brother's gaze.

They reached the springs in a few minutes, Miroku pausing awkwardly when he reached it. The demon lord came up behind them shortly after, ignoring the monk's wary gaze. He came to the edge of the spring, unwrapping Mokomoko-sama from around his shoulder and beginning to undress.

Miroku allowed his robes to fall from his body, but continued eyeing the demon lord. Inuyasha was much more reluctant.

But after a few moments of standing their awkwardly, he took of his clothes, wading into the water and going to the opposite side of the spring, where Miroku now sat.

The demon lord sighed almost inaudibly, before allowing his white pants to fall as well, revealing long, pale legs, and more of those magenta colored stripes curving around his ankles. Sesshomaru systematically dropped his clothing to the ground before stepping into the spring with the same elegant stride. The water rippling slightly was the only indication that it had been disturbed, and Inuyasha glared at his brother's gracefulness.

Sesshomaru took a seat in the shallow end, to stay farther away from Inuyasha. The water came up to his navel, and he leaned against the rocks behind him tiredly.

The hanyou watched Sesshomaru as they sat in the water, leaning away from him slightly. Even though they were on complete opposite sides of the spring, he didn't want what had happened in the river to happen again. He turned away from the (smexy) Daiyoukai, turning instead to Miroku.

The monk looked at him, sending him a friendly grin.

"Inuyasha." He began. "When are you planning to go and apologize to Kagome, hmm? I know you must feel terrible about your little argument."

The half-demon frowned. He didn't feel terrible. He hadn't done anything. This, 'little argument' was a result of Kagome overreacting, as usual.

He leaned against some nearby rocks slightly, bringing an arm up to swipe at some hair in his face.

"I ain't apologizing! She's the one that 'sat' me for no reason!" He exclaimed, glaring at Miroku.

The monk sighed.

"Inuyasha, you must learn that women are different creatures than men entirely.

No matter what they do, it will always be your fault."

Inuyasha blinked.

He found that he didn't like that philosophy at all.

And across the springs Sesshomaru felt the same way, adding another reason to his checklist of why women were far less superior. He looked over to his half-brother, preparing to again ask him why he put up with the annoying miko in the first place, only finding that he wasn't able to speak.

Physically, he could of very well talked if he wanted to. But his words found themselves frozen when he saw Inuyasha's slightly muscular frame, physique strong from years of having to be alone. The daiyoukai's eyes narrowed into a glare, if only so that nobody would be able to claim he was staring at the hanyou. He had seen him shirtless before, but had never bothered to pay much attention.

Because, of course, the half-breed was just so far below him. But lately . . .

Well, he didn't know.

Something had changed, that was for sure.

His eyes grazed Inuyasha's chest, gliding down and stopping at the inward dip of his belly button.

Absentmindedly he ran his thumb over his index finger lightly, reminded of when Inuyasha had placed a curious touch onto one of his stripes. As if in response to the thought, he felt the magenta strip of color tingle slightly, seemingly in remembrance of the gentle caress. The demon lord allowed his gaze to slip back up towards Inuyasha's face, starting slightly when he saw that the hanyou's eyes were locked firmly onto his. He let out a soft breath of surprise, before turning his eyes away to study other things.

Embarressment registered in his brain but he refused to show it through his pale cheeks, settling instead to glare lightly at the trees off to the side.

Inuyasha glanced at Sesshomaru suspiciously placing one hand on the chest that had just previously been stared at.

He scowled.

What, was Sesshomaru mocking him now?

'**No you idiot. He was checking you out.' **

Inuyasha froze, a dark blush spreading over his cheeks as he listened to what his youkai was saying.

'Shutup!'

He commanded, promptly going back to ignoring it.

There was no way in a million years that Sesshomaru would check him out. And even if he did, that didn't mean that the hanyou himself would welcome the stare.

Would he?

If Sesshomaru was indeed 'checking him out', then that would mean that he wasn't the only one who had been feeling these ... odd feelings of certain doom. It was obvious that nothing good would come from them.

'**Except for maybe a dead sexy mate with gorgeous hair, and a commanding personality. A warm body to cuddle with at night. Someone to love who wouldn't make you crash to the ground all the time, or pin you to a tree—'**

'Didn't I say to SHUTUP!'

"Inuyasha are you alright? You seem kind of distracted."

Said half-demon turned to the concerned monk, inwardly seething.

"Huh? Oh. No, I'm fine."

Miroku quirked an eyebrow. Inuyasha had been acting very strange lately, he'd noticed. Not that it was hard to.

He had been acting especially odd around Sesshomaru.

The monk turned to look at the daiyoukai, who seemed to be burning a hole into a tree with his eyes.

Miroku blinked.

The two brothers just seemed to get stranger and stranger everyday.

o0o

The walk back to camp was slightly awkward.

Not that the walk to the springs had been any better, but this time everything just seemed to be worse.

The two brothers were looking anywhere but at each other, and Sesshomaru's death glares appeared particularly nasty.

Miroku opened his mouth to say something, when he sensed something familiar.

He frowned, his hand instinctively reaching for the prayer beads on the other.

He glanced at Inuyasha, aware that he was already glaring and growling.

Sesshomaru looked at them both curiously, unsure of why they were acting so strange. He himself felt nothing, smelled nothing, sensed nothing. Though he could assume what was going on if they were reacting like this. His eyes narrowed slightly and he became aware of the slight rumbling that came from deep within his chest.

"Naraku." Inuyasha snarled.

They ran the rest of the length back to camp, Sesshomaru's fear for Rin spurring him on. He still fell behind the hanyou and monk, however. Which, in all honesty, pissed him off. Though he knew it would happen.

When they reached it they were glad to find that everyone was still safe, Rin immediately bounding over to the silver-headed youkai.

"Lord Sessho—"

Her gleeful cry was cut off by a gust of wind, almost lifting her off the ground. Sango held tightly onto Kirara who had already transformed upon smelling something foul approaching, and Jaken was clutching onto Ah-Un's mane, flailing wildly about while the dragon itself didn't seem affected in the least.

Sesshomaru scowled slightly as the heavy gusts tussled his hair, looking up towards where he knew the sorceress would be making her interest.

She didn't disappoint.

Kagura floated down gently, one foot touching as she landed, the sleeves of her kimono billowing in the storm she had whipped up. Upon touching down she drew her fan, holding it coyly to her face as she spoke.

"So, Naraku was right after all." Her voice was as smooth as always, her intense crimson eyes boring into Sesshomaru. "But the question remains." She continued.

"Why is the powerful Lord Sesshomaru traveling with his half-breed brother?"

The question was spoke as if she had very little interest, though her wide eyes gave away her curiousity.

Inuyasha drew Tetsaisga, holding it steady in front of him as he glared.

"What do you want, Kagura?!" He demanded.

She glanced over to him, smirking and shifting her weight to one leg.

"Well, Naraku was a bit curious. The saimyosho saw the most curious thing."

She paused in her speech, smirking a bit behind her fan. Her large eyes looked to Sesshomaru, eyeing the fire-rat kimono that he now wore.

"It got him questioning. How was the mighty Lord-Sesshomaru brought down by a simple lowerclass demon?"

Everyone in the camp froze as they realized what Naraku's poisonous insects must have reported to him. Inuyasha's eyes flashed with fear, before reverting to showing their normal fiery determination. He gripped Tetsaisga a bit tighter.

Sesshomaru said nothing, simply stared at Kagura with his head raised a bit as if she were beneath him. Which, (in his mind,) she was.

"So he came to the conclusion that . . ." Her eyes narrowed, eyebrows lowering until her expression became dangerous. "Lord Sesshomaru is weak."

She swung her fan around, conscious of the heavy breeze she was brewing.

"And now is the perfect time to eliminate you!"

She raised off the ground, her lips turning down in determination as she attacked.

"Dance of blades!"

* * *

foxgirl: I know, you probably hate me for ending it like this. I'm sorry! Gomen nasai! I haven't updated in like, a month. Please forgive me! I swear, I AM going to finish this story. Right now I'd say it's . . . close to half-way done, if not further. Thank you so much to all who endured the wait. And I apologize if this chapter wasn't what you were hoping it'd be. Oh, and, uh, sorry if Kagura is a bit out of character. I'm not used to writing her.

vixen: way to go, foxgirl. you let down the, what, three people who read this? Now you won't have any readers at all.

foxgirl: . . . why do you hate me so much?

vixen: review please.


	7. Decisions, Slight Pauses, and

Foxgirl: There! That wasn't too long of a wait, was it? Only about two weeks I think... anyways, I kind of like this chapter! I hope you do as well. I'll try and update quicker next time! ^_^ And sorry about this chapter being shorter than usual, it just seemed like the perfect place to end when . . . well, you'll see.

Read on!

And thank you to all the people who read and review this fic, you have no idea how happy it makes me. You guys are what inspire me to write!

* * *

Chapter Seven: Decisions, Slight Pauses, and The Beginning?

* * *

It was aimed right at Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha acted quickly this time, dashing forward and moving his brother out of the way. He wasn't about to let the daiyoukai get hurt _again_ if he had anything to say about it. He had a firm hold around Sesshomaru's waist, causing the daiyoukai to glance at him curiously. The innocent touch made his heart flutter slightly, though he wrote it off as the adrenaline of battle.

As soon as they were out of the line of attack, Inuyasha set Sesshomaru down, drawing Tetsaisga. Turning on his heel, he brandished it at the wind sorceress, before pulling it back over his head and bringing it down in a mighty swing.

"WIND SCAR!"

Inuyasha was fueled by a questionable adrenaline. He felt a burning urge to _protect_ his brother. And he intended to do just that.

Sesshomaru found that his heart rate had increased slightly. He looked at Inuyasha, silently thanking him. Because he'd _never_ say something like that out loud. That just wasn't how he was. Though now, he was indebted to the hanyou, twice over. The first time being when he hunted for him after he had passed out, though at the time he simply ignored it. How would he repay the favor?

Deciding to ignore these thoughts for know, he spared a look at Rin to be sure that she was safe, before glancing at Kagura as she dueled with his brother, each attack more suspicious than the last. His eyebrows lowered in doubt.

He had seen her fighting before, and it was clear to see that the wind demon was pulling her punches.

Though he knew he shouldn't be surprised. If what she had said about wanting to find and destroy Naraku's heart were true, then she wouldn't want to kill him.

But she had to make it _look_ like she was trying.

Sango hurled her weapon at their opponent with a shout of, "HAIRAKOTSU!", only to have its course changed with a gust of wind. She grunted as it came back a bit haphazardly, almost knocking her over. Once the large boomerang was successfully in her hands, she made to throw it again, determined to not allow Sesshomaru to get hurt. Again. It was almost like an instinct, though she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that they _needed_ Sesshomaru to defeat Naraku.

Whenever Miroku even moved to open his wind tunnel, the saimyosho made their presence known, buzzing closer to the monk. He settled for trying to take them out throwing sacred sutra's at a few so that he might have the chance to use his more powerful attack.

Finally, Inuyasha saw an opening.

When Kagura was distracted with Sango's advances, he sent another wind scar hurtling towards her. The wind sorceress eye's widened as she noticed the attack, and for a moment nothing could be seen as a blinding white light surrounded the area around her. She jumped backwards, reaching a hand to her hair and pulling out a small feather, that grew larger as she threw it down in front of her.

Inuyasha stood still, warily watching where he had just seen her, eager to see whether he had hit his target. All was silent in the clearing for a few moments, as the group waited with baited breath, though Sesshomaru _knew_ that Kagura wouldn't allow herself to die that easily.

And as the daiyoukai predicted, when the blast cleared, Kagura was nowhere to be seen.

Sesshomaru looked up slightly, seeing her getting smaller and smaller in the distance as she flew away on her oversized feather.

"Dammit." Inuyasha grumbled, sheathing Tetsaisga. "She ran away."

Miroku looked over to the hanyou. He knew if he mentioned anything about the idea that was coming back in his head, the hanyou would be furious. But he had to try. After Kagura's attack, it seemed like the only option, the _best_ option that they had, and they had to get to Chikotsu's castle _soon_ before Naraku launched another attack, or somehow became stronger.

"Inuyasha, this is exactly what I was speaking about before." Miroku finally said. "There is no doubt that Naraku will soon send others, more formidable than Kagura."

The half-demon grimaced, crossing his arms.

"Well what do you suggest we do, huh?"

The monk sighed, looking away.

"I already told you what I think you should do. You didn't like my opinion, remember?"

"That's because your _opinion_ was stupid!" Inuyasha hissed.

Sango stepped forward, holding her large boomerang in one hand, one eyebrow raised.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, looking over to Miroku.

He shrugged his shoulders, putting on his I'm-An-Innocent-Monk face.

"I merely stated that Sesshomaru should travel with Inuyasha _alone_ until they reach Chikotsu's castle. They would get there much quicker without us slowing them down, and that way, we could begin the search for Naraku once more."

There was a slight pause, before Sango nodded. That made complete and total sense to her. Things would move much quicker if the hanyou took Sesshomaru alone, and then they could get back to looking for Naraku.

"Yes, that sounds like a good plan. With just Sesshomaru and him, Inuyasha could probably reach the castle in a week's time or less."

Inuyasha glared at the demon slayer.

She wasn't helping his cause.

"Why are you so against it?" She asked Inuyasha curiously, raising an eyebrow.. "I mean I know you two hate each other, but you seem to be getting along much better lately."

Inuyasha growled.

"Because I—"

"I am not disinclined to the idea."

Everyone's head turned to the demon lord.

He stood perfectly normal, as if he _hadn't_ just completely went against _everything _ he had sworn he stood for.

Another pause.

". . . See Inuyasha? Sesshomaru's being agreeable. Now you're just acting childish." Sango stated matter-of-factly, placing one hand on her hip.

Inuyasha stuttered, his face contorting into an innumerable number of furious expressions before he settled with one, his lips pulled back into a snarl.

Miroku pressed onward, determined to make Inuyasha see the light.

"Really Inuyasha, I don't see why you are so averse to the idea. It's only for a couple of days, and—"

Inuyasha cut Miroku off, shouting at him while he clutched his head tightly.

"ALRIGHT ALREADY!"

The shout rang throughout the clearing, and all heads turned to stare at the hanyou in his obviously distressed state.

There was a third pause.

". . . Well good then. Miroku and I will fly back to Kaede's village, and wait for you two there, all right? Shippo, Rin and Jaken can ride on Sesshomaru's dragon."

Miroku nodded. And that way, they would be able to be there when Kagome came back.

"Finally, we receive a well deserved _break_ . . ." He said, a smile falling onto his face as he thought of all the beautiful women at Kaede's village. . . . And Sango, of course.

"This isn't a break, monk." Inuyasha growled. "And just you wait until I get back . . ."

Miroku turned to his friend, grinning. "I will be counting the seconds."

o0o

After a tearful goodbye from Rin, and a few friendly words, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were left standing alone. Inuyasha was feeling extremely cross.

Why was it that he could _never_ get _his_ way? And whenever he did, he got sat. He grumbled quietly to himself.

There were a few seconds of awkward silence, before Sesshomaru spoke.

"So. Will I be riding you—ah, on your back?"

The daiyoukai had quickly corrected himself, but that didn't stop Inuyasha's youkai from making s_everal _highly inappropriate comments. Inuyasha closed his eyes for a moment, forcing the dirty thoughts away as best he could.

'You, are getting on my last nerves.'

'**Well **_**he**_** said it.'**

The hanyou turned to Sesshomaru, the angry expression lingering on his face.

"Yeah. We'll move quicker."

He had a thought, and continued his statement, transforming it into a question. He didn't know if he could _stand_ to be with his brother for that long, especially with what had been going on lately. Not that he really understood, nor would he ever care to.

"How long do you think it'll take if we travel like that?"

The daiyoukai tilted his head slightly, taking a moment to think. "Most likely about four or five days, if you take adequate breaks."

Inuyasha nodded.

He sighed slightly, before awkwardly kneeling and holding his arms out behind him. The process was slow, mostly because Inuyasha felt that when it was for Sesshomaru, it seemed extremely demeaning. Deciding that he wanted to get this whole thing _over_ with as swiftly as possible, he turned his head towards Sesshomaru.

"Get on." He commanded. After a moment of thought, he added, "And hurry up!"

For a few seconds Inuyasha heard the faint sound of footsteps growing closer, before he could feel the daiyoukai come behind him and hesitate.

Sesshomaru wasn't sure he liked this form of travel.

After all, this _was_ his dirty half-breed brother.

Though, he _had_ said that he wouldn't mind traveling alone, though he didn't understand why he had. His mouth had taken over control of his body, shocking him as much as everyone else. He had just been less open in showing it. When he heard the hanyou begin to growl impatiently however, he stepped a bit closer, and allowed himself to be picked up as Inuyasha stood. He awkwardly (And somehow, elegantly) wrapped his arms around Inuyasha's neck, not wanting to fall in his . . . _fragile_ state.

After Inuyasha got used to the weight on his back, (he was heavier than Kagome, but carrying him would be easy enough) the hanyou broke out into a run, sprinting at his regular speed while dodging the occasional tree. Once he had a good feel of the ground underneath his feet, Inuyasha encouraged his legs to go faster, increasing his pace. He felt Sesshomaru's arms tighten around him slightly, and a smirk escaped onto his face.

The daiyoukai himself was feeling a bit . . . _nervous. _(Not frightened really, but when your rival of over fifty years is carrying _you _while running at breakneck speeds, let's see how you would react.)

He willed himself to calm down, his heart fluttering nervously.

He had received more injuries in these few days than he normally would in a month, and he didn't want to risk it again.

Swallowing his pride, he leaned forward slightly, placing his lips to one of the furry attachments on top of Inuyasha's head.

"Inuyasha, slow down." He spoke, hoping that the hanyou had heard him over all the rushing wind. But if he hadn't he would get over it. He was the all-powerful Lord Sesshomaru for Kami's sake! He could handle anything the world had to throw at him. . . . Except for weird youkai robbing spells. That was just cheating.

Inuyasha had heard the demon lord however. He could feel Sesshomaru's lips ghosting across his ear, his breath running over the sensitive appendage.

Ignoring the sensation, he turned his head a bit, to move his ears farther from his brother's (oh so tempting) lips, and decided that teasing his brother would make him feel better.

Therefore, he sped up.

Sesshomaru's jaw clenched as he felt the increase in speed, realizing that he should have expected something childish.

Subduing himself with a brief sigh, he put his head down, attempting to guard his eyes from the stinging breeze. He closed his amber orbs, resting his chin on Inuyasha's shoulder. It wasn't the most comfortable thing, but the hanyou's scent was soothing enough to keep him there.

. . . Sesshomaru decided to ignore that last thought.

Inuyasha was confused, and felt slightly awkward. But the slight weight on his shoulder was a comforting one, though he'd never admit it.

Allowing it (for the moment) Inuyasha began to once again focus on running.

Briefly, Inuyasha was reminded of a long time ago, when it was just he and Kagome looking for the shards.

'I wonder when she's coming back . . .'

'**Kagome is **_**not**_** who you need to be focusing on.' **His youkai reprimanded him, it's tone sharp.

'What's that supposed to mean?!'

'**We are finally **_**alone**_** with future mate! You should be trying to win him over, not thinking about the miko!'**

'For the last time, he is NOT my future mate!'

Inuyasha all but shouted inside his head. If his youkai continued to act crazy like this, the poor hanyou wasn't sure what he would do. The next action he would probably take was bashing his head against a rock.

. . . Though he wasn't exactly sure how that would solve anything.

o0o

"Get off."

Inuyasha unceremoniously released the daiyoukai's legs, dropping him to the ground.

Fortunately Sesshomaru was able to save some of his dignity by landing on his feet.

Night had fallen long ago, and Inuyasha had been running for the better part of the day.

He was exhausted.

"Was that quite necessary Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked grumpily. _He_ was sore as well, heaving had to be curled up that whole time. His appendages were happy to be freed from their uncomfortable position. In addition to all his aches and pains, (not to mention the wound that _still _hadn't closed completely) he was curious as to why Inuyasha hadn't stopped hours ago. He had to have been ready to drop by now. Was Inuyasha _really_ that eager to be rid of him?

Though Sesshomaru wasn't sure why, that thought made him frown slightly, and he turned to glare at his brother.

Inuyasha glared back. But for completely different reasons.

"Yes it was 'quite necessary'. You're heavy! Lay off the rabbit's, why don't ya?" Inuyasha commented offhandedly, even though he knew Sesshomaru was _far_ from being too heavy. He just wanted to upset the daiyoukai.

And he succeeded.

Sesshomaru bristled, but refused to react, settling on finding a something to lean against so that he could focus on stretching his limbs.

Inuyasha snorted slightly as the demon lord sat down in front of a nearby tree, looking every bit as perfect as he claimed himself to be.

The hanyou glared at him slightly.

Sesshomaru began discretely working out the kinks in his form, arching his back slightly and frowning when he heard the soft cracks of his spine.

The action, unbeknownst to the demon lord, had earned the reaction of a soft blush from one flustered halfbreed.

Continuing his little routine, Sesshomaru softly cracked his knuckles as well, and rolled his head on his neck before slumping forward slightly. The daiyoukai let out a soft sigh.

Why in the world had he said he would be okay with this?

Alone, in the woods, with his bastard of a brother.

His days just kept getting worse and worse.

Though he had to admit that the experience hadn't been _completely_ horrible. So far.

And he also had to factor in the strange happenings that had been occurring between them ever since he first enlisted his brother's help.

He wasn't sure that he liked it, or even if he knew what 'it' was, but something had been changing.

Inuyasha sighed, making a decision. He crossed his arms, walking hesitantly over to his brother.

Sesshomaru lifted his head curiously as the hanyou came and sat in front of him, his face still wearing it's protective mask of anger.

They sat like that for a moment, before Sesshomaru's patience wore thin.

"Are you in need of something, Inuyasha?" He asked dryly, upset with himself for being in this situation.

One of Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly.

"So, why did you change your mind all of a sudden?"

Sesshomaru blinked.

"Of what matter are you speaking of?"

Inuyasha scowled.

"I mean, before all of . . . _this_ happened, you wouldn't have even wanted to fight in a battle on my side, nonetheless travel with me _alone_. I thought you hated me?"

He clarified. This question had been grating at the back of his mind for a while now, and now seemed like the perfect time to ask. Though he doubted Sesshomaru would give him a straight answer.

The daiyoukai went into a momentary state of shock. He hadn't expected his mask to be uncovered by his brother, of all people. Perhaps he had just let his guard down one too many times. Deciding to go for the stoic approach, Sesshomaru scoffed (which was little more than a slight exhalation of breath on his part)

"Do not be stupid, Inuyasha. I _do_ hate you."

"Geh?!"

Inuyasha was slightly caught off guard by the demon lord's last sentence, but regained composure, and pointed at him frantically.

"Then why the hell have you been acting so different lately!?" He shouted.

Sesshomaru scowled slightly, his eyebrow twitching slightly.

"You are hardly one to say anything about acting 'weird', as _you _have been acting odd as well." He said matter-of-factly, leaning against his tree, if only to move further away from the half-breed in front of him. He felt almost . . . flustered that he had been called out on his strange behavior. Though honestly, he wasn't quite sure what the cause was either.

"You! Just . . . answer the question!"

Sesshomaru looked away from his brother, deciding that being honest would probably gather the best results.

"I do not know."

"What?!"

Inuyasha moved closer, now sitting on his haunches as he glared angrily at his brother.

"Are you _deaf_, half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked, quirking one of his eyebrows, more to anger the hanyou than because he was actually curious.

Inuyasha growled slightly, though he knew he should have expected that last comment.

"Dammit Sesshomaru!" He exclaimed, falling back down on his rear. He crossed his legs, choosing to glare at the ground now.

Sesshomaru didn't respond.

o0o

They sat there, not speaking for several hours. Inuyasha was lost in thought, and he was sure he had dozed off a couple of times.

His eyes blinked open blearily, and he looked over to Sesshomaru, unsure whether he wanted to start up the argument again. He had done this at _least_ twenty times now, but this time when he looked over, Sesshomaru's eyes were closed. The hanyou glanced at the magenta stripes splashed across the daiyoukai's eyelids, sighing slightly.

_He_ should be the one sleeping. _He_ was the one who had just run for Kami knows how long.

Inuyasha crawled over to the demon lord, attempting to be as stealthy as possible.

Once he was in front of his brother, he stopped, opting to simply stare at the daiyoukai's face.

He needed to test a theory.

Obviously his youkai was attracted to Sesshomaru, but did that mean that _he_ had to be?

That was honestly the _last_ thing he wanted, and it would probably only make things _worse_ in the long run. He wanted things with his brother to stay as uncomplicated as possible. He hated him, and vise versa. None of these . . . strange and hard to place feelings making things difficult. Though his youkai seemed vigilant in his task to convince the hanyou that this was how it was supposed to be.

Making up his mind, the hanyou moved a bit closer.

Inuyasha, after making sure that Sesshomaru was _definitely, deeply_ asleep, placed his face in front of his brothers, going as near as he could without actually touching him. He studied the site of Sesshomaru's almost ethereal features, paying special attention to the colored streaks on both of his cheeks.

The reaction was instantaneous.

He began to feel extremely nervous, his pulse increasing slightly. He could feel the blush plastered onto his face when he glanced down at the daiyoukai's (_still_ tempting) lips. He took in a shaky breath, exhaling as he tried to control himself.

Not really in control of his actions, the hanyou lifted up a shaky hand, cupping Sesshomaru's cheek gently and using his thumb to softly caress one of the demon lord's magenta streaks.

He felt the daiyoukai stir slightly, and felt Sesshomaru breath out softly, exhaling warm air onto the hanyou's mouth.

Anxiously, he glanced back up to the demon lord's stripes, inhaling sharply as he stared into amber eyes regarding him curiously.

They stayed that way for a few moments, neither of them daring to move.

Sesshomaru's eyelids lowered slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru breathed, sounding hesitant.

He wasn't sure what was going on. He had woken to the soft touch of gentle hands touching his cheeks, and was highly surprised to find Inuyasha kneeling before him. Though he couldn't truthfully say that the gesture was unwanted. Which was what confused him.

Didn't he hate his brother?

Didn't he _loathe_ his very existance?

Or was this feeling building up inside of him something else?

Sesshomaru argued with himself, seeing as he didn't have his youkai to yell at, feeling extremely angry that he had allowed his usually icy demeanor to fall so far into a state of dissaray. He could feel everything now, it seemed he was hypersensitive. He was breathing in the scent of Inuyasha every time he inhaled, and the smell was not unpleasant.

Inuyasha snapped out of whatever haze he had fallen into at the sound of the daiyoukai's voice.

He wanted to move away.

He tried, to move away.

After another moment of uncomfortable silence, the hanyou looked elsewhere than Sesshomaru's cold, amber orbs.

He was about to move back with an uncomfortable apology, when the strangest thing happened.

Sesshomaru raised his head slightly, gently pressing his lips to the hanyou's.

Inuyasha's mind went blank from shock as Sesshomaru's eyes fluttered shut, and for the first time, his youkai was speechless.

* * *

Sango sighed as they continued their journey to Kaede's village, turning and slapping the monk on the cheek.

That was the _fifth time_ she had had to punish him for being unable to keep his hands to himself.

Rin hadn't said much since they left, though Shippo was slowly trying to get her to open up once more.

Jaken kept grumbling to himself about how _odd_ Lord Sesshomaru had been acting lately, and he felt slightly jealous that Inuyasha got to travel with _his_ lord all alone.

Ah-Un didn't mind either way.

Yes, all was normal in the group.

And little did they know, one two-tailed cat was secretly hoping that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha would finally realize how much the really _did_ need each other.

She wasn't stupid.

She had noticed all the little things going on between them lately, and she had begun observing them from the time of that accidental kiss next to the human village. If she could just get Sesshomaru to see what _she_ did, then everything would be perfect.

Well, except for Kagome. Though personally, Kirara felt the demon lord was much better suited for the hanyou. Though they _did_ fight, at least Sesshomaru didn't slam him to the ground every chance he got.

. . . Well, at least not lately.

* * *

Foxgirl: Finally! Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have taken a step forward. Ah, yaoi. It's good for the soul. Thanks to all who have put up with my far and in between updates, and who are gonna stick it out till the end!

Vixen: You know the drill. Review please.


	8. Excuses, Excuses

Foxgirl: Quote of the day:

mom: "Whew! Finally! After a week, we're really home!"

me: "...Wouldn't it be funny if the car just blew up?"

ok! After what, a month? I really didn't realize it had been that long.

Chapter Assement: It's interesting, if not entertaining. I probably could have done more with it but... I need some more ideas. Anyways, read, and tell me what you think. and **PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END. THANK YOU. **Uh, I mean, thank you.

Advertisement: If you like Inu/Kog yaoi, please check out my story "I am NOT gay" It's a good read, I like to think.

* * *

Chapter Eight: Excuses

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't think.

It was getting harder and harder to just sit there without doing anything, lips attached to Sesshomaru's. His body was screaming at him to respond, to press himself closer to the youkai's form, to run his hands through his platinum tresses. His heart felt desperately confused, and his brain was fervently shouting that this whole thing was just _wrong_. Neither of them had made a move, and Inuyasha's eyes stared widely at the daiyoukai's closed ones. The hanyou couldn't decide what to do. Did he return the gesture, or pull away in disgust? . . . Again?

He found that he didn't have to do anything, however, as it seemed Sesshomaru had made the decision for him when the younger of the two felt the daiyoukai's tongue snake out of his mouth, the moist appendage running gently over the crease in Inuyasha's firmly closed lips. The stimulating touch was simply to much to handle while attempting to stay rational, and he forced himself to move before he did anything he was _sure_ he would regret. Using more strength than was probably necessary, Inuyasha threw himself back from the demon lord placing a surprised hand over his mouth as he stared at him incredulously.

"W-what the hell was that?!" The half-demon shouted, not noticing the embarrassed look that flashed across Sesshomaru's face.

The daiyoukai didn't know what had come over him. One moment he felt just a tad bit nervous, and the next . . . well. That much was obvious. He hadn't even realized he felt anything towards the hanyou, let alone had _feelings_ for him. Sure, things had seemed a bit . . . tense lately, but the daiyoukai _never_ suspected that he could be learning to like the hanyou. At least, enough to kiss him willingly.

. . . And Inuyasha had pulled away.

"Surely you are not _that_ stupid." Sesshomaru mumbled, unable to meet the half-breeds gaze. He could recall saying something vaguely similar before.

Inuyasha was . . . confused.

"B-but why?" He questioned, his voice sounding weaker than he had intended. He didn't understand what was happening. _Feeling_ these things toward his brother was one thing, but acting upon them was a different matter entirely. Sesshomaru refused to look at him, and his lips were pulled down into a slight frown.

"I do not know." He snapped.

The demon lord felt . . . strange. Inuyasha's rejection was something he should have expected, however he wasn't really thinking about _anything_ when he kissed the half-breed. How had it come to this? He felt an odd, overpowering sadness settle down inside of him, but rudely pushed it away. He didn't care that Inuyasha hadn't returned his impromptu kiss. It was simply a fluke, an accident. He hadn't meant to . . . to do that to the hanyou. It was a temporary loss of judgment on his part.

These thoughts however, didn't stop Sesshomaru from feeling slightly . . . miserable.

Inuyasha blinked at the decidedly forlorn expression that crossed the daiyoukai's face, but in another moment, it was gone.

Sesshomaru didn't appear as if he would be talking anymore about it anytime soon, so Inuyasha set upon acting as if nothing had happened, jumping up into a nearby tree. The action was more to get away from his brother than for comfort, however.

'**What are you doing?!'** His youkai hissed. **'Future mate was willingly showing affection! Why did you pull away!?'**

Inuyasha didn't know how to retort. All of the earlier reasons he would have used didn't seem like enough now.

The only excuse he could give was that he was . . . scared.

He was terribly afraid of whatever had developed between them, and was desperately hoping that whatever it was, it would go away if left alone for a while.

Though, somewhere, he knew that that solution wasn't going to work.

He glanced down at Sesshomaru's now unmoving form, hesitantly allowing himself to wonder whether he had made the right decision.

'**I can't believe this.'**

'Well believe it.' Inuyasha snapped. He was confused, more so than he thought he should be. Why did everything thing have to be so damn complicated? He scowled, crossing his arms and setting upon trying to sort things out. His youkai, however, had another plan. Inuyasha's inner demon continued antagonizing the hanyou until he couldn't take it anymore, curtly telling his youkai that he had no intention of mating with Sesshomaru then or ever, and beginning to ignore it's loud protests.

'**Why won't you even **_**consider**_** the option! The only things we have to gain from this are all good.'**

Twitch.

'**What, you're ignoring me now?'**

Cough.

'**Oh yeah, real mature.'**

Sigh.

'**All right then, answer me this. Why not?'**

Inuyasha was ready to explode.

'Why not?! Why NOT!!? _Because_—'

. . .

'. . . Well . . . that is . . . because . . .'

Inuyasha searched his mind for a reason.

Finally, he was able to give his youkai an excuse, feeble as it may have been: 'Because I like girls! And . . . and Kagome would sit me into the next century! And . . . and I _hate_ that guy!'

His youkai rolled its nonexistent eyes.

'**Please. You might like girls, but it's obvious you're attracted to Sesshomaru on some level. And who **_**gives**_** a fuck about Kagome? Moreover, **_**how long **_**are you going to let this **_**stupid**_** rivalry last! He just **_**kissed**_** you for kami's sake!'**

Inuyasha was about to retaliate, but found he had nothing to say.

His amber eyes flickered down to Sesshomaru once more, frowning slightly as he thought about the youkai's . . . kiss.

It _had_ felt . . . rather . . . nice, as much as he hated to admit it. It was just a simple touching of lips, besides that part at the end. He flushed lightly, forcing himself to continue staring at his brother.

Maybe . . . maybe he could . . . _try_ and—

Inuyasha shook the thought from his mind.

'NO! Sesshomaru and I hate each other, and that's the way I want it to stay.'

He crossed his arms, leaning back against the trunk of the tree he was sitting in and scowling.

'. . . Right?'

* * *

Sango stretched happily, smiling as she saw Kirara approaching from her peripheral vision. She was followed by the monk as well, and the demon slayer turned, waving. When they reached her the two-tailed cat hopped onto her shoulder, Miroku coming over to join her in leaning against the fence she had been standing next to.

"Sango," Miroku spoke after a few moments, glancing fleetingly at the demon slayer. "How do you think Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are faring? It's been a day already..."

Sango reached up a hand, scratching behind Kirara's ears fondly.

"Don't worry Miroku I'm sure their fine. They haven't been fighting nearly as much lately. We'll probably see the two back within a weeks time."

Miroku nodded, looking off into the distance distractedly.

"Yes..." He answered. "I suppose. But Sango, haven't you noticed the two acting a bit... I don't know, different?" He persisted. "Maybe it's just me, but don't they seem..." Miroku paused, struggling to think of the right word. "...Closer?"

Sango blinked.

She considered the notion for a moment, going over what she'd seen of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in her head. Now that she thought about it, they _had_ been talking more than usual. And Sango was certain that, on more than one account, she had spotted Inuyasha _blushing_. At the time, she'd wrote it off as a trick of the eyes, but that did seem kind of... odd.

She glanced back to Miroku, a curious look in her eyes.

"You... you're not suggesting that..."

Miroku said nothing, his face bearing a questionable expression.

* * *

Inuyasha ran through the forest, holding the daiyoukai close on his back so that he wouldn't fall.

Regardless, he had never felt more far away from his brother.

Sesshomaru hadn't spoken a word since last night, and if he had the responses were always clipped. He refused the meet the hanyou's eyes, though Inuyasha couldn't deny that he had been using the same tactics to avoid the demon lord. Awkward silence fell between the two as they gained speed across the landscape, Inuyasha attempting to imagine that he was by himself, rather than carrying someone who surely hated him now.

No . . . who had _always_ hated him.

'_**Apologize.**_** Show future mate that we **_**want**_** his attentions!'**

'No!' The hanyou retaliated. 'No! Because I don't.' He stubbornly scowled, attempting to distance himself from the annoyance in his head.

'**Will you stop **_**denying **_**it! Sesshomaru obviously feels something for you. Why are you pushing him away?'**

Inuyasha stopped then, stumbling slightly as the weight on his back propelled him forward. The question had caught him off guard as he realized something from his youkai's endless blathering. Before this . . . thing with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha had been in love with Kikyo. He also thought he felt something for Kagome. Why hadn't his youkai spoke up whenever he pushed _them _away? Why had it never chastised him about all the fights he got into with Kagome? All the times he had run after Kikyo . . . why was it only reacting like this for Sesshomaru?

Said daiyoukai shifted on his back, and he could feel the silky caress of silver strands falling against his neck.

A frown graced his face. He looked around for a moment, realizing that he had no reason for the impromptu end to his running.

". . . Inuyasha?"

Came the hesitant reply from behind him.

"Why did you stop?"

A small shudder ran down the hanyou's spine as Sesshomaru's breath reached his neck, and he shook his head to rid himself of the feeling, releasing the daiyoukai and allowing him to stand. Sesshomaru did so, taking a few steps back to distance himself from his brother. Inuyasha paused, needing some sort of excuse.

"You . . . you hungry?"

He finally spoke, turning to look at the daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, before realizing that they hadn't ate since the day before. The sun was already beginning to fall from the sky, leaving everything a blazing orange color. The demon lord in question realized that he was quite famished, but still found it slightly humiliating that his younger brother had to hunt for him.

"Hn." He answered simply, with a nod of his head. He saw Inuyasha's eyes flicker to his, but he quickly lowered his gaze. He wasn't about to let the half-breed realize that his stare had an effect on him. After a moment, Inuyasha grunted his agreements, darting off in a random direction, shouting a 'stay put!' behind him.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

Where else, exactly, was he going to go?

With all the grace of a daiyoukai, Sesshomaru sank against a nearby tree, lowering himself into a sitting position. He let his eyes wander over the colorful hues of the forest, before settling on gazing upwards at the receding light in the sky. He was alone, now, and because he was alone his mind was beginning to wander. And despite his attempts, he couldn't seem to get it to stay away from the wary subject of Inuyasha. Of his tentative kiss that had been so rudely rejected.

The daiyoukai was currently losing himself in his present thoughts to try and figure out what was wrong with him.

All right.

Beginning with the most obvious thing: He was attracted to Inuyasha.

That was disgusting within itself, but the fact that he had allowed it to happen . . . no. This recent weakening in emotion _had_ to be caused by the malevolent spell he found himself under. Though even if that was the case, would it have happened anyway, had he spent more time with his younger brother? The thought was simply ridiculous. Yet . . . it had happened. And now he was dealing with the consequences of reacting to his wretched _feelings_. This was why he preferred to remain unshakable, turning from all emotions so that he would become stronger.

Sesshomaru grit his teeth lightly, his hand clenching into a fist.

That was why mating with Amatsu was so practical; none of those _emotions_ to get in the way. They could appoint an heir, and rule the western and southern lands with supreme might. Of course, he was aware that Amatsu would want _more_ than just his power, he'd want to take his body as well . . . but that was a small sacrifice to pay. Before this, before _Inuyasha_ caused all this . . . _confusion_, he'd had no problem giving up that part of his life for the betterment of his lands. Or, at least, he had been prepared for it.

But now . . .

Now he wanted more.

He desired more than just a _physical_ attraction, someone who would appreciate him for more than just his body. However . . . that option still wasn't possible. The situation only gave that impression. It was apparent that Inuyasha felt nothing towards him, and if he did then he certainly wasn't planning on doing anything about it.

Sesshomaru scowled.

Not that he would want him to. It would be disgraceful for a lord of his standing to mate with a _lowly_ half-breed, even if that was what he wan—

Sesshomaru shook his head.

No.

What he desired, what he _wanted_ was simply to continue traveling with Inuyasha until they reached Chikotsu's castle, and then he would proceed to . . . to . . . _offer_ himself as a potential mate to Amatsu.

The demon lord resisted the urge to shudder.

But, the matter was settled.

He would refrain from making any more inappropriate and unwanted advances towards Inuyasha, and soon, things would be back to normal.

But did he really want things to go back to how they used to be?

The demon lords eyes narrowed scornfully, and he glared at the clouds as if they were the cause of all his problems. Naturally, they didn't respond, causing Sesshomaru to sigh when he realized how silly he was becoming. Of course Inuyasha would push him away. They were _enemies_, brothers, yes, but enemies nnonetheless and he had overstepped the boundaries of the wall they had been slowly taking down ever since he'd come to the hanyou for help. But even though the rejection made sense to the logical portion of Sesshomaru, he still found himself unsure.

There was no denying that the hanyou had stared when he was cleaning himself after devouring the rabbit he had been given.

There was no denying that the hanyou _had _—unintentional as it may have been— proclaimed himself as a potential mate.

Not to mention that the half-demon was so obviously jealous of Amatsu, that Sesshomaru almost found it comical.

And yet, he had still pushed him away.

Which meant that it wasn't a question of Inuyasha's preferences, or his feelings toward Sesshomaru. It was his _stupid,_ _half-breed_ mentality that told him that Sesshomaru was obviously the wrong choice.

The daiyoukai scowled.

o0o

Inuyasha had found and killed enough for the both of them long ago. It had been simple to sneak up on the deer and kill it, and he had felt a pleasant chill down his spine thinking of how pleased Sesshomaru would be that he had been able to provide for the both of them. That feeling was slightly . . . creepy.

However, he chose to ignore that, and now he was lurking, just out of Sesshomaru's range of sight, watching the daiyoukai intently. He wasn't sure why he didn't make his presence known, though he had to admit that the daiyoukai was much easier to sneak up on when he didn't have his superior senses to use.

Though that was to be expected.

No, Inuyasha was watching Sesshomaru because, whether he realized it or not, he was seriously reconsidering his decision to continue hating his brother. Sesshomaru was making faces now, scowling to himself and silently seething, tilting his head slightly as if considering something, before going back to a vaguely different angry expression, and the only thing that Inuyasha could seem to think about the whole ordeal was: Cute.

Good god what was the world coming to?

His powerful, extremely dangerous, _daiyoukai_ brother was cute.

Though after all that had happened, Inuyasha simply couldn't work up a proper mood to be angry about it.

He shook his head slightly, attempting to clear it, before finally approaching Sesshomaru and dumping the kill in front of him.

The demon lord looked up at him, and faintly, Inuyasha thought he noticed some semblance of _hurt_ in the demon lord's eyes.

But as quickly as it came, it was gone, and the hanyou found himself questioning whether the expression was ever really there in the first place.

They ate in silence, and Inuyasha forced himself to look away from his brother lest he begin staring again. Sesshomaru decidedly took the gesture as offensive, and as a result ignored him as well.

It was quite the vicious cycle, really.

* * *

Kagome sighed, packing up the rest of her medical supplies in her already huge yellow backpack.

Despite everything, she felt . . . guilty. She had been jealous of the way Sesshomaru seemed to be able to talk to Inuyasha so easily, the hanyou responding without so much as a second thought. _She_ had to work hard to start up a decent conversation with him, and even the few times she was able to, they didn't last for very long. And lately, Inuyasha had just been paying too much attention to the daiyoukai. He was supposed to _hate_ Sesshomaru, not stay up all night with him when he was injured, and send him lingering glances that _should_ have been reserved for _her_ . . .

Though she was probably worrying over nothing.

And she wanted to see Inuyasha again, no matter how much of a jerk he was being.

The miko sighed slightly as she jumped down the well, wondering what the feudal era would greet her with this time.

She fully expected everyone to be waiting in Kaede's village, as they couldn't just have continued the journey without her. Inuyasha probably wouldn't have allowed it, anyway.

She smiled to herself, thinking about how overprotective the hanyou generally was over her.

Increasing her pace to a slight jog, the teenager made her way through Inuyasha forest, sighing happily when she saw the village in front of her. Idly she fingered the bottle around her neck that held the sacred shards. Perhaps . . . she should be more concerned about this? In only a few days, Sesshomaru had been able to achieve what had taken her weeks, _months_. Even though they seemed to fight constantly, there was something . . . different about the two. And it appeared that she was the only one to see it. But . . . it wasn't as if . . . things would change, right? Soon enough, Sesshomaru would be gone, and then she could focus on winning Inuyasha back over.

With determination to patch things up with the hanyou, Kagome jogged through the dusty roads, waving happily at the villagers going around doing their daily work. She easily found Kaede's hut, walking inside and grinning warmly when she saw the old woman and two of her friends.

"Hello Kaede, Sango, Miroku." She greeted, setting down the heavy backpack from the future.

The three humans allowed smiles to light up their faces, each welcoming her back in their own ways.

She glanced around briefly, before turning her curious eyes to the demon slayer. Sango quickly interpreted her questions and voiced that Shippo and Rin were outside playing with Jaken, and Kirara was most likely hanging around with Ah-Un and the children somewhere. When this still didn't seem to satisfy her, Sango waited for her to voice her concern.

"Hey, where is Inuyasha?"

Sango blinked.

" . . . Oh! He's with Sesshomaru."

A flash of anger and jealousy ran through Kagome's system. This sort of surprised the miko, as she had been expecting the hanyou to be waiting by the well, really. Prepared to yell at her for leaving right in the middle of things. A grimace crossed her face, before she controlled herself, ready to ask another question.

"And where are they?" She ground out, clenching her fists slightly.

Miroku looked over to Sango, noticing the definite hostility in Kagome's tone.

"They continued on to Chikotsu's castle alone. We all figured they'd get there faster, and—"

"WHAT!?"

* * *

**A/N: I'm looking for a beta. So if you're interested, please send me a pm. Here's what I would need: **

**-grammer checking (though usually I'm pretty okay with that)**

**-things YOU think I should change (sentence structure, what someone says, etc)**

**-plot holes (really, I've already found a lot in this. I'll have to upload some chapters all over again... -_-)**

**-um... other... things that haven't been determined yet.**

**BUT I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET! ** Seriously, do you guys have ANY idea how hard it is to find a beta who will willingly edit a yaoi story?

foxgirl: Sorry it's so short, I was kinda in a rush to get this done. I've been on vacation baby! A week in Seattle and Vancouver... it was awesome! I finished this chapter about three days ago but... meh. No internet access. Oh, and if you find any errors... like missing paragraphs, or lines repeated, tell me k? I had some problems with this chapter... it was being VERY naughty. Sorry for the delay, again. Wow, I'm really bad at updating.

vixen: Yup. Some day soon your readers will realize this, and turn their backs on your stories forever.

foxgirl: ... (nervous laugh) you guys... you guys wouldn't do that, would you? ... WOULD YOU?!


	9. Poison and Tears

okeydokey! Here is the next chapter, freshly edited by my new beta, neenabluegirl. Thank you so much for all your help! Also, Evelyn Dark will be helping me with grammar in the future, I was just a little impatient to get this chapter up. Hope you enjoy!  


* * *

Chapter Nine: Poison and Tears  


* * *

Things were getting better.

At least, a little bit.

A smidgen.

Well... it was progress, at least.

The two brothers had begun talking again, both of them deciding (without the other knowing) that they would ignore what had happened completely. _Completely_. That involved no zoning off thinking about how _soft_ a certain daiyoukai's lips were, and _definitely_ no dreaming about what a hanyou (who shall not be named) would have done had the encounter went further. Yep. They were totally over it. As a result, some of the tension had lessoned, much to both of their relief, leaving the journey to Chikotsu's castle much less uncomfortable. Except for the zoning out and dreaming, of course. Though that really couldn't be helped. They had been traveling for a few days now, and Inuyasha was actually beginning to find Sesshomaru's company... tolerable, if not a little... enjoyable. The demon could be quite good company when he wasn't being a complete ass. ...Not that the hanyou would ever admit this, mind you. He was just beginning to come to terms with his feelings for his brother (not that he would ever admit this either) and he didn't want to push his limits by admitting that he _liked_ being alone with— ahem. That he would prefer his brother's company to being by himself. That was going too far.

So, he settled for attempting to get used to Sesshomaru, seeing as they were going to be 'allies' from then on.

"Inuyasha."

I mean, there was no reason for them to be _hostile_ towards each other if they were going to work together, right?

"Inuyasha."

It wasn't like he just didn't feel like fighting with him anymore—

"_Inuyasha_."

Though he _really_ did feel kinda bad about hurting Sesshomaru's feelings that one time—

"INUYASHA!"

"Huh? What?"

Inuyasha snapped his head towards his brother, who appeared to be more than a little irritated.

"I called your name _four times_." He said, his left eye twitching slightly. _Just_ slightly. Sesshomaru hated to be ignored.

Inuyasha blinked, before fighting back the urge to blush. He had been deep in thought— it was unfamiliar territory. He hadn't realized that Sesshomaru was talking.

"Oh... heh, sorry." He said, smiling sheepishly.

Sesshomaru wasn't amused. But when Inuyasha's face turned pensive again, his eyebrows furrowing slightly, Sesshomaru couldn't help the_ teensy weensy_ bit of worry that leaked onto his expression. He bit his tongue, resisting the urge to ask what was wrong. No, he refused to show that he actually cared that his brother appeared... odd. Really, what could be bothering him so much that he— no. He wouldn't give in. Sesshomaru bit his lower lip gently.

'_Don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth—'_

"Are you alright?"

'_Damn it _what_ did I just say!'_

Inuyasha looked at his brother again, slightly surprised that he cared. No— scratch that. He was _very_ surprised that he cared. Though he couldn't help but feel slightly... flattered. There was a long silence as he tried to think of a suitable answer. The longer he stayed silent, he noticed, the more flustered Sesshomaru looked. His face was steadily turning a nice shade of red, and his mouth was twitching slightly, as if he was trying not to bite his lip. It was...

Absolutely adorable.

The daiyoukai was getting exceptionally irritated. How long did it take to answer a simple question?

...Was his face turning red?

Sesshomaru turned his head to the side so that Inuyasha would stop _staring_.

Inuyasha, realizing that he had indeed been staring for quite a while now, chose that moment to answer.

"Er, yeah. I'm fine."

Sesshomaru, who under normal circumstances would have deemed that an unsuitable answer, chose to accept this, and settled with nodding, going back to eating the meal that Inuyasha had caught. He was becoming accustomed to this, the hanyou bringing him his food.

It was unacceptable.

_Completely_ unacceptable.

He was becoming much too attached to the half-breed, and he refused to call it anything more than that. He absolutely _refused_ to admit that, despite his hardest attempts, his attraction towards his _repulsive_ (he was _quite_ easy on the eyes actually)_ half-breed_ brother was only growing stronger.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought about it. Really, he should have had more control over himself. It was disgusting.

Things would be _so_ much easier if he would just _listen _to himself and stop thinking about it. He needed to focus on Amatsu.

A light shiver ran down Sesshomaru's spine.

Him... and Amatsu...

Eww.

* * *

Kagome was upset.

Sango and Miroku were beginning to get worried.

She hadn't spoken a word to them since her little... 'outburst'. But that didn't mean she hadn't been talking. She could be heard muttering if you passed her, speaking under her breath, to herself, one would imagine. No one had managed to understand what she was saying exactly, but they knew it had to do with 'Inuyasha', and 'confessing.' The monk and the demon slayer thought it was wonderful that their two friends would finally get together, but, after Miroku had suggested that the two inu brothers might be becoming 'closer' that scenario was becoming less and less likely. They wouldn't say anything, though. They were content to entertain Rin and Shippo, hoping that Kagome would be alright when Inuyasha came back and they had to explain to her that he was now, 'batting for the other team.'

Though, Sango hadn't seen Kagome much lately. And Kirara hadn't been hanging around her as much as usual, she was sure everything was fine. Kagome would just have to wait for the brothers to get back before she made her next move. She had no other choice, right?

"Lady Sango!" Rin shouted, running over to said demon slayer. Sango turned her head, noticing the black-haired girl coming towards her. She waited patiently for the girl to continue, noticing her slightly out of breath state. "Lady Sango," She continued. "When is Lord Sesshomaru coming back? Rin has a present for him!"

Sango's smile grew, and she patted the girls head gently.

"It won't be too long now, Rin. Once they reach Chikotsu's castle and Sesshomaru regains his demonic abilities, Inuyasha and he will be able to move a lot faster."

Rin nodded excitedly, smiling.

"Alright."

"Sango!"

Said girl turned, spotting Kagome running towards her, a grin on her face. Sango smiled back, relieved that her friend was back to normal. The teen stopped a few feet in front of her, breathing slightly accelerated. She ran a hand through her hair before speaking.

"Sango, I want to go find Inuyasha."

Sango's smile dropped. "Wha—? But, Kagome—"

"I just realized, he and Sesshomaru _hate_ each other. They'll be bickering the whole trip! They won't make any headway, someone needs to be there to break up their constant fights!"

"But Kagome I really don't think—"

"And besides! What if there's a sacred jewel shard nearby, Inuyasha won't even be able find it!"

"Kagome, I'm sure their—"

"So I'm going to take Kirara and go look for them."

"They haven't been— wait, what?"

With that the miko ran off, her obscenely short skirt billowing behind her. Sango stood there dumbfounded for a minute, before realizing what the miko was going to attempt. She cursed under her breath, realizing that she should have been paying more attention to Kagome's recent attitude changes lately. She darted after the girl, noticing that she already had a pretty good lead. She sprinted past Miroku, shouting for him to 'follow her' and ignoring his curious expression. They had just reached the edge of the village when they saw Kirara taking off, Kagome on her back and holding tightly to the neko's fur.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, hoping the demon cat would hear her and turn around.

"What's going on Sango!" Miroku managed, wondering just why in the world Kagome was going off on her own with Kirara and her humongous yellow backpack.

"Dammit Miroku! She went after Inuyasha!"

o0o

Kirara could hear her master shouting something after her, but when she turned her head she felt warm, tender hands at her ears, rubbing them.

"It's alright Kirara. Sango's just a little worried." The miko spoke, still stroking her fur. The two-tailed cat nodded, and continued to fly, wondering why they were supposed to be looking for the two inu brother's anyways.

Kagome, however, had a plan. Once they got close enough, Inuyasha would be able to smell her. He'd find her, and then they would all travel to the castle together. As they spent more and more time with each other, Inuyasha would _finally_ realize that he _did_ love her, and she wouldn't have to worry about Sesshomaru at all. He could go get married with his gay lover, and then her and Inuyasha could be happy. Yes, it was perfect.

... Now if she could only _find_ them...

* * *

Inuyasha was carrying him again.

They had been running well into the nighttime, and it was turning dark very quickly. Inuyasha had expressed his desires to quicken their pace now that they were so close. At the rate they were going, they would be there within two days time. After that, he wouldn't have to tolerate this kind of travel any longer. He could eat something other than deer and rabbits, and he wouldn't have to tolerate their brief fights. Yes, only a bit longer until they reached their destination. Only a _little_ longer until he regained his demonic abilities. Only two more days with his half-breed brother, and then—.......

...

... Two days.

Only two. More. Days.

And then... and _then_...

"STOP!"

Sesshomaru's voice ringed through Inuyasha's ears loud and clear, _much _too loud, and he let out a small yelp, tripping over his feet as he tried to recover his sense of hearing, his hands flying up to his ears to protect them from any future shouting. Of course, this meant that he was no longer holding onto Sesshomaru. As the half-demon stumbled to regain his balance, Sesshomaru all but screamed, the long legs that had been sitting comfortable by Inuyasha's hips now wrapping around his waist as he began to fall from the half-demon's back, his single arm flailing as he attempted to get a solid grip on Inuyasha's neck. They were a rolling tumble of thrashing limbs and muffled shouts and yelps, before Inuyasha turned, attempting to pry his older brother off of him.

"Leggo! You're gonna make me— Ahh!"

Then they hit the ground. Hard.

Inuyasha was aware that something big was on top of him. He grumbled a bit, attempting to wriggle out from under whatever it was, starting slightly when he noticed a flash of silver. Well that was just great.

"Get off!" He mumbled, attempting to make sense of how they were positioned. He was extremely uncomfortable, that was for sure. Sesshomaru muttered something incoherent, before letting out a soft 'oof!' noise and standing. Inuyasha followed suit, feeling extremely agitated. Why in the world had Sesshomaru started yelling? Couldn't he have just whispered again? He had heard him perfectly fine when he did that, and it was much more pleasant. He crossed his arms, glaring at his older brother.

"Why the hell did you suddenly shout like that? Are you tryin' to kill us!"

Sesshomaru looked down, a slight frown marring his features. How was he supposed to tell the half-breed that he wanted to stop because he was...

Well, he was...

Dammit, he was sca— _nervous_. And extremely apprehensive. He didn't want to mate with Amatsu! He was deciding his whole future with the next words he said to the fox demon, and that wasn't something he was too eager to jump into.

Finally, he settled for stating, "...You have... been running for a long time. You should stop, lest you overwork yourself."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed in confusion. Didn't Sesshomaru want to reach the castle as fast as possible? Why was he suggesting they stop? ...Not that he minded. He _was_ kind of... exhausted. The hanyou finally decided on simply nodding, and slumping down to the ground. He sighed slightly in relief as his legs shouted their thanks at being given a break. As his body cooled down, Inuyasha thought about where they were. They had been passing through less and less forests, giving way to clear plains that stretched for miles. This gave them less cover, which Inuyasha wasn't too thrilled about, but the grass was so comfortable he couldn't bring himself to care. He allowed his eyes to slide close, not noticing Sesshomaru's eyes flickering over to his tired face. The daiyoukai studied him silently, refusing to allow his conflicting emotions to show through his face. But then again, when did he ever? ...Besides recently. Really, this was getting _quite_ pathetic. It wasn't as if he was never going to _see_ the half-breed again. He was acting _very_ out of character, (but that was mainly the authors fault) and it had to stop. His tore his gaze from Inuyasha's face, noticing that if he looked in the distance, he could _just_ see the castle...

He resisted the urge to sigh, glancing upwards and focusing his thoughts back onto more pleasant topics. He allowed his mind to wander to Rin, curious as to how she was faring in the human village. Though his mood quickly turned sour when he realized that when he _did_ mate with Amatsu, the fox would probably force Rin to stay with the humans, if not just getting rid of her completely. Sesshomaru, quickly realizing that his mind would produce nothing but pessimistic thoughts he quickly set to thinking about nothing, settling for looking at the various cloud shapes, as he had seen Rin doing many times before. She had said that she could find shapes in the clouds. Well. If a seven year old could do it, then so could he. He searched for a bit, finally finding a cloud that looked like a... pebble. And there was another one that looked like a... rock! And there was another rock, and a boulder, and... he shook his head. The point was to find shapes, not blobs. He allowed his eyes and mind to wander, before finally spotting that he thought was shaped like the Tetsaisga, just a little bit, and he allowed himself a bemused look.

And there was a dog!

And... a heart!

And Inuyasha!

And an apple, and— wait.

He scowled, tearing his eyes away from the clouds. Even they were betraying him.

His ears twitched slightly as a faint noise reached it, and he turned, curiously, wondering if Inuyasha had shifted or something.

When he could find nothing he turned forward once more, sighing as he stared at a blade of grass in front of him. The noise sounded again, and this time he ignored it, deciding that it was probably just Inuyasha doing something in his sleep. Though he'd never heard the hanyou make that kind of hissing noise before...

He turned, about to wake up his half-brother in favor of stopping the noise, but he found that he couldn't move.

"_Hisssssssss....._"

Sesshomaru gulped as the snake youkai slithered closer, a feral glint in its eyes.

"Inuyasha..." He said quietly, never moving from his position and keeping his face as expressionless as possible. This demon didn't need to know that he had no way of killing it at the moment. The youkai grinned, letting out another low hissing noise. Sesshomaru retaliated, growling back fiercely and staring it down with his amazing, Thee-Art-Mighter-Than-Thou glare.

"I know your sssssecret, Sssssesssshomaru." It hissed quietly, not wanting to wake the other demon. He would be able to kill Sesshomaru and get out of there, without waking the hanyou. Though he had been informed that Inuyasha hated the daiyoukai, and would be glad to be rid of him, he didn't want to risk it.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "What secret." He spoke, in his most intimidating voice. Though he knew _exactly _what the snake was talking about.

'Please don't tell me that he knows that I—'

"Naraku is offering a hefty prize, for your head on a ssssilver platter."

Sesshomaru frowned.

So, Naraku was too _busy_ to come and dispose of him himself, was that it? He was going to rely on filthy, lower level demons to get rid of him. His growling grew louder, and the snake youkai grimaced when the hanyou stirred, realizing he'd have to take care of this quickly. Sesshomaru was fuming, but he realized he was in danger. Which greatly annoyed him. He was so used to trouble _avoiding_ him that it was unusual for him to be in danger all the time. And it was a freakin SNAKE youkai for Kami's sake! It didn't even have a humanoid form... he glared at the small demon, feeling too enraged to be afraid. The snake was preparing to strike, he could tell, and he realized he wouldn't be able to survive if it's venom got into his bloodstream in the state he was in. His eyes flickered towards his half-brother for only a moment, but that was enough time for the youkai to make its move. Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly, and his hand reached instinctively for his sword as he saw the demon lunging towards him. A low noise of distress was made in the back of his throat before Sesshomaru really realized what was going on, and he had Tokijin halfway out of it's sheath before he saw the snakes fangs close soundly around his left wrist. He stopped breathing for a moment then. This was it. Thanks to Chikotsu and her father's _selfishness_ he was going to die. Man this sucked. What about Rin? She would be devastated. And Jaken would probably do something crazy, maybe commit supuku. He felt terror clench his heart but willed it away. He refused to show his fear. Golden eyes slowly shut, and Sesshomaru waited for the pain.

But it never came.

That was when he realized that he didn't _have_ a left arm, and therefore it was impossible for the snake to be biting it. He took in the scene around him, and he let out a sigh of shock and relief.

"Inuyasha..." He whispered.

The snake youkai, realizing it had missed it's target, was trying it's darnedest to do Inuyasha some lasting damage, muttering curses under it's forked tongue.

Inuyasha easily took his other arm and pried the demon off of him, breaking its neck in the process. There was a short moment where it struggled, but after it went deathly still. The half-demon glared at it's corpse, feeling very angry that someone was trying to hurt _his_ Sesshomaru. How dare it have the _audacity_ to try and strike his future mate when he himself sat only a few feet away. Did it really think that he would just sit back and allow Sesshomaru to be killed? And attacking someone who can't defend themselves was just low! Who the hell did this guy think he wa— wait, back up.

'**I'm glad you're **_**finally**_** realizing what I've been trying to tell you all this time.'** His youkai stated matter-of-factly.

'W-wha? I didn't mean... he's not _mine_, I was just... it was... I... SHUT UP!!'

Sesshomaru sighed, breathing returning to normal. This was getting ridiculous. He felt a slight thrill that Inuyasha had _protected_ him, but at the same time he was highly upset. This was, what, the third time? He was going to owe Inuyasha a lot more than just a dead Naraku... though all the times he didn't kill his brother when he had the chance had to count for something, right? And why was he so damn _useless_? A _human _could have killed that youkai. Sesshomaru frowned. It was just... too fast, and too close, and—

"Are you okay?"

Sesshomaru blinked, looking to the hanyou who had blocked the snake's attack.

"Yes." He said without hesitation, his eyes darting immediately to the wound oozing the hanyou's blood. He frowned. "But you are not."

Inuyasha looked to where Sesshomaru's gaze was fixed, like he had just noticed the bite was there, before scoffing. "It was just a little demon."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "The venom of a rattlesnake youkai is _extremely_ harmful, demon blood or no. Let me see..."

He took a hold of Inuyasha's arm, eyeing the four little teeth marks critically. This was _his_ fault. Inuyasha was trying to protect _him_, and because of that, he was hurt. Sesshomaru blinked as unfamiliar feelings of guilt began easing their way into his head.

"'Dangerous', huh?" Inuyasha mumbled, twitching slightly as the pain began to set in. "_How _dangerous?"

Sesshomaru's frown grew deeper, and he let go of the hanyou's arm, allowing it to return to it's owner.

"Your arm and left side will most likely be numb for quite a while... we'll have to stay someplace safe until you are better. You're demon blood should prevent it from getting too severe, however, you will probably suffer from chronic headaches and extreme itching."

Inuyasha growled as his neck began to tingle, his right hand coming up to scratch at it absentmindedly.

"Dammit all to hell..." He muttered, standing with little difficulty. "Let's look for a place to stay the night, then..." The hanyou began walking, muttering curses under his breath. He found himself saying that if he had _known_ it would have caused him this much trouble, he would have just _let_ the damn thing bite Sesshomaru. But he knew this wasn't true. He felt a small sense of pride in being able to protect the daiyoukai. However, this didn't change the fact that Inuyasha was still in an extremely foul mood. He could just _feel_ the (metaphorical) dark clouds circling over head, symbolizing a gloomy attitude.

As he began walking, Inuyasha felt a slight weight on his shoulder, turning when he realized that it was Sesshomaru's hand. He quirked an eyebrow at the daiyoukai, wanting to get moving as quickly as possible.

"Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru began, his face as expressionless as ever. The hanyou began to grow impatient, scowling slightly.

"What?" He snapped. His eyes softened a bit as Sesshomaru met his gaze, and he noticed a sort of... _hesitant_ expression in the demon lord's eyes. "...What?" He asked again, tone noticeably nicer.

"...Thank you."

Inuyasha froze, for a moment. His expression was a perfect look of shock, but Sesshomaru turned away, beginning to walk in the direction Inuyasha had been moving in.

The hanyou noticed, (but chose to ignore) that the gloomy clouds were slowly clearing.

* * *

"Big brother!"

Amatsu turned. Absentmindedly he ran a hand through his hair, smiling when he saw who had been calling him.

"Oh, Chikotsu, hey. What's up? Why are you so out of breath—"

"Sesshomaru'scomingtothecastletobecomeyourmate!"

Amatsu blinked.

" ...Riiiiiiiiight. Now, could you repeat that please? Slower? ...And in Japanese?"

Chikotsu breathed heavily, having run the entire way in her bigger form to get to where she was. She had wanted to make sure she reached her home before Sesshomaru did, so she could tell her brother the good news. Of course, he didn't know that Sesshomaru currently had no demonic powers and that was the _only_ reason he was coming to the castle, but that was irrelevant. She took in a breath, smiling widely, her tail twitching behind her in excitement.

"Sesshomaru! He's agreed to become your mate!"

Amatsu laughed.

"Yeah, okay. Now seriously, what do you want? I was about to meet Shiuchi so that we could play a game..." He looked over Chikotsu's shoulder, looking for said vulpine demon. He had said that he would be meeting him here about now... Shiuchi truly was a great friend. He helped him with everything, and even though the male could be kinda spacey sometimes, Amatsu greatly cared for the younger demon. Chikotsu made an irritated expression as Amatsu continued to not really acknowledge her presence. He was kind of annoyed that she would joke like that. She _knew_ how he felt about the demon lord. He was so... so strong, and powerful, and commanding, and beautiful, intelligent... yes, Amatsu had fallen hard. He was deeply infatuated with the other daiyoukai. A small smirk graced the fox demons face as he thought of the day when Sesshomaru would _finally_ realize that they were meant to be together, and—

"I'm being completely serious!" Chikotsu exclaimed, stamping her foot impatiently. "He's _really_ coming, and he—"

Amatsu was already out the door. If Chikotsu was being s_erious_ then there was no time to lose! Shiuchi was _long _forgotten. As the daiyoukai bounded out of the castle he continued running, and as he did he transformed. He grew larger, arms turning into another set of legs as a long, bushy tail sprouted from his tail bone. He grew until his own castle was much to small for him, indigo-colored fur sprouting up all over his body. His smirk turned into something a bit more manic as his mouth stretched wider, a positively pleased look crossing his face.

Chikotsu blinked. "Should be here in a... few... days?"

"Excuse me, Lady Chikotsu, have you seen Lord Amatsu?"

Chikotsu turned at the timid voice behind her. She eyed the small male who her brother hung around with so often –she couldn't for the life of her remember his name— and grinned, one of her fangs exposed on her lips.

"Sorry um... Shi...n..t...a..r..o?" She spoke, hoping she had gotten it right. For goodness sakes Amatsu had _just_ said it. "You just missed him. He's off to find Sesshomaru!"

Shiuchi blinked for a moment as this information registered.

"That sly dog has _finally_ agreed to mate with Amatsu!" The eccentric woman continued, oblivious to the completely devastated look that was filling the younger mans eyes.

Shiuchi felt his sharp inhale, felt his heart threatening to shatter. He was aware of the horrified expression on his face, but couldn't allow his Lady to know anything. He bowed his head, long strands of ebony colored hair falling in front of his eyes.

"O-oh." He managed to choke out, trying hard to cease his incessant shaking. He was _not _upset over this. He did _not_ care, he knew that it had to happen someday, he was _not_ going to cry...

"I mean, good! My Lord will be... very... pleased..."

He turned away as he felt moisture dripping from his chin.

"If you'll excuse me, my Lady... I... I have business to attend to."

Shiuchi turned away, walking quickly back the way he had come. The young demon worked in the kitchen, and he and Amatsu had become very good friends over the years. However, the demon lord seemed oblivious to the strong feelings that had grown in Shiuchi's heart. He ached every time the Lord spoke of Sesshomaru, _pined_ after _Sesshomaru_, and he often talked for hours on end about how he would make him his. It was just... too much to bear. He and Sesshomaru were complete opposites. The Daiyoukai was strong, wasn't the least bit shy, and his long hair was a shimmering, _beautiful_ platinum color, while Shiuchi's was simply a dull, uninteresting black. He was quite short, unlike the tall Lord Sesshomaru, and while the dog demon's voice was powerful and commanding, Shiuchi's was soft and hesitant.

The only thing that had made his lords obvious attraction towards Sesshomaru a bit better was knowing that the inu-demon had no feelings for Amatsu... but now...

What would he do now?

Tears streaked down the fox demon's cheeks as his walk turned into an all out sprint as he sobbed, wiping the droplets from his face as he went.  


* * *

foxgirl: So who else thinks Shiuchi is just absolutely adorable?! I feel bad for making him cry and all but, man! I'd have to say that he's my favorite OC character, next to Amatsu that is. I've already started on the next chapter, so look forward to a quick update! Special thanks again, to**neenabluegirl **and** Evelyn Dark. **I appreciate your help and corrections, Neena! Ah, it feels good to have a beta again. :D well, see you all again soon.

vixen: You're in a surprisingly good mood, seeing as it's 3:00 in the morning.

foxgirl: Review please!


	10. Sweet Torture, and Mischievous Vulpines

Hey, I know I said quick update... and this is quicker than the last one. This was finished a couple days ago, but it still needed to be edited, which I thank my wonderful beta for: **neenabluegirl, **and **Evelyndark **for her help with my grammar. Both of you helped so much! Oh! And soon, I'm going to be offering a little challenge for you guys... so if you're up to it, keep an eye out! Thank you for reading, and for all your wonderful reviews!

-Foxgirl  


* * *

Chapter Ten: Sweet Torture, and Mischievous Vulpines  


* * *

Inuyasha had found a small creek, down a gentle slope that was accompanied by a sharp drop, with a shallow cave dug inside the cliff. This was where the two found themselves now, Inuyasha feeling itchy and irritable as he lay in the middle of the cave, and he couldn't move his left arm no matter how hard he tried. He was also becoming uncomfortably hot, and the cool stream was looking simply amazing by this point... but Inuyasha didn't want to have to rely on Sesshomaru. He would rather die before asking him for help.

The daiyoukai he had just been thinking about walked into their temporary resting place, flipping his obscenely long hair over one shoulder as he knelt down beside the half-breed. He leaned forward slightly, his hand pressing against the uncomfortably hot skin of Inuyasha's forehead. The hanyou grunted in protest, his eyes shut tightly as he resisted the urge to scratch. He knew it would only make it worse. His eyes closed as he dealt with the annoyance of the youkai's venom, wondering how bad the situation would be if he were human. He suspected that Sesshomaru hadn't explained all the symptoms of the poison, just the ones that he would be subjected to.

Inuyasha vaguely heard Sesshomaru shifting a bit, before he felt dexterous, smooth hands at his sides. The half-demon's eyes shot open. The amber orbs looked over to Sesshomaru nervously, who seemed completely immersed in his task. The daiyoukai pulled gently on Inuyasha's undershirt, lifting it slowly and revealing the tan flesh of his stomach. Inuyasha paled. Every so often, he felt the gentle brush of Sesshomaru's long fingers against his sides, and he was becoming even warmerfrom the feeling, squirming uncomfortably as he struggled to control himself. Really how did the soft, chaste little touches have such an effect on him?

"Wha-what are you doing?!" He questioned, his right hand reaching to stop Sesshomaru's actions. He stifled a gasp of surprise as one of the daiyoukai's digits reached up and brushed against his neck, his hand supporting him as he lifted his torso slightly to further remove his clothing. The daiyoukai easily swatted Inuyasha's attempt to stop him away, continuing in his endeavors and pausing only a few times to get the white fabric over Inuyasha's head as he was lying down.

"Be silent. You are developing a fever; I am going to cool you down."

...Well, technically, he hadn't _asked_ Sesshomaru for help, so it didn't count, right?

...Right.

Inuyasha settled for nodding when Sesshomaru tossed the discarded piece of clothing away, and he heard the slight sound of shuffling fabric as Sesshomaru stood, walking out of the cave with that regal saunter of his. It was only then that he took notice that Sesshomaru still donned _his_ fire-rate kimono, and it looked slightly ridiculous with Sesshomaru's large fluffy thing wrapped around his shoulder. He allowed his eyes to linger on the daiyoukai's form as he disappeared from sight, before beginning to squirm uncomfortably again, his chest immediately irritating him as it all but begged to be scratched. Inuyasha ignored the impulse however, watching Sesshomaru as he once again came into the small cave, almost having to duck to come through the entrance as he was so tall. He was cradling moko-Mokomoko-sama in his arm, and Inuyasha noticed that the tail end of it was dripping slightly. The daiyoukai knelt before him again, taking the fluffy object and gently squeezing it over Inuyasha's chest, releasing trails of water that almost burned when they touched the hanyou's flesh. Inuyasha hissed lightly, shutting his eyes as the sensation gave way to a more pleasant one.

Just as he was getting used to the feel of the liquid dripping off his chest, he felt something soft and firm press against his stomach, and his amber orbs opened widely as he looked up at Sesshomaru. The demon lord didn't seem to notice, continuing with his task and tentatively spreading the water on Inuyasha's skin, managing to thoroughly convince himself that this was to bring the hanyou more comfort, not from any desire to... _touch_ the half-breed. But really, the water dripping off of his absolutely _delicious_ form was just about too much to handle. Inuyasha himself didn't know what to make of the situation. He couldn't deny that Sesshomaru's hand felt... _good_ but he was seriously considering the possibility that it felt _too_ good. He had to hold back a moan as the daiyoukai's flesh skirted a little _too_ low over his abdomen, a fiery blush lighting up his face as he turned his head away and willed himself to calm down. Sesshomaru was just trying to _help_ him; that was all. And, thankfully, the itching _had_ gone down, even though its persistence wasn't likely to let up anytime soon.

Sesshomaru had to force himself to pull his hand away, hoping Inuyasha didn't notice how it lingered a bit longer than necessary. He found himself cursing the fact that he didn't have his other arm, so as to more _thoroughly _explore Inuyasha's body. But that thought was quickly forced out of his mind. He found himself a bit nervous now, but refused to let it show, focusing on making his tone monotone as he spoke.

"Does that feel better?"

He realized that he couldn't completely take away the pain, or the symptoms, but he wanted to be as useful as possible. It was his fault that Inuyasha was like this, after all.

"Wha-?" Inuyasha mumbled, slowly gaining back his focus. "Oh, yeah." He said, managing to speak without stuttering. How did the daiyoukai manage to make his voice so _sexy_? Sesshomaru nodded, tearing his eyes away from the hanyou's shirtless form and moving away to sit on the other side of the cave. Inuyasha lifted his good arm up to move the long bangs from his face, sighing angrily as he did so. He should have better control over himself. Kagome bandaged him up all the time, and was _constantly_ touching him, whether he wanted her help or not. Her hands were just as soft as Sesshomaru's... though whereas Kagome's touch was common the daiyoukai's seemed... special somehow. He knew that only a select few had been touched (willingly) by the demon lord and had lived to tell the tale. But that didn't explain why he was still flustered. He breathed calmly, looking around for something that would ease the tension. When Inuyasha realized, once again, that he could only moving his right hand, he scowled angrily, lifting said appendage to brush away the bangs that had gathered in his face once more.

Inuyasha was very upset. He had spent _days _trying to find reasons why he shouldn't like Sesshomaru, _least_ of all find him attractive, beautiful, or any other complimentary word, and every reason he had come up with his youkai had shot down. So now, he was sulking, twitching with the effort of trying not to scratch _everywhere_. His body felt like it was on fire, not to mention that the whole left side of his torso now was completely numb. He could feel it spreading down to his hip, but it didn't appear to go any further. He was aware of the steady growling sound that was coming from his chest, but did nothing to stop it. He was in extreme discomfort, he would growl if he bloody well wanted too. He scowled, right hand twitching in irritation.

"I hate feeling like I only have one arm." Inuyasha mumbled, poking the limb that was completely numb bitterly. It was just so... awkward. He felt like he couldn't do anything, though the fact that it wasn't his sword arm was a comforting thought. He heard Sesshomaru let out a sound that was dangerously close to a snort, and he caught him rolling his eyes the slightest bit. The hanyou allowed his amber orbs to narrow, his expression turning into another angry scowl.

"Yes, but you still _have_ it."

Inuyasha blinked as he eyed Sesshomaru's one empty sleeve guiltily. Right. He had cut off his brother's left arm.

"O-oh."

The daiyoukai didn't respond.

"Couldn't you just, like, I dunno— re-grow it or something?"

"Yes."

Inuyasha blinked. Sesshomaru's abrupt response had startled him. "Then... why don't you?"

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow.

"It would require a large amount of demonic power to be present at one instance, and I have had neither the time nor need to use that much energy on something so..." Sesshomaru blinked slowly as he tried to find the right word. "Unimportant."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed.

"_Unimportant?_ I'd say it's hardly unimportant. You only have one arm!"

Sesshomaru scowled. He was becoming very agitated with where this conversation was going. He had had to fight too many unnecessary battles because people thought him weak, and he was sick of it. After all, what was the hanyou going on about? _He_ was the one who had cut it off in the first place. If he thought he was so much better with it, then why'd he feel the need to get rid of it!

"And I have gotten used to it." He snapped. "It is not as if it brings me any great hindrance, as I am just as powerful with one arm as with two." The daiyoukai's eyes narrowed. "Do **not**underestimate me because of my _one_ shortcoming." He spat. "Or do you believe that because of what _you_ have done I am less intimidating? Less useful? Less _appealing_?"

"N-no!" Inuyasha blurted before he could stop himself. "No! I just... I thought it might be an inconvenience. I mean, you're still as strong— I know that firsthand— and as for other things, well, I mean, you _are_— er, well, you're very... well, I know _I_— uh..." Inuyasha didn't know why he couldn't stop himself from stuttering. He should just close his mouth _right_ now, and pretend like they'd never had this conversation. It would all be for the best. But he couldn't seem to shut up, and his youkai was highly amused. Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, though by now his anger had all but diminished. Inuyasha's face was bright red, however, and he was not going to miss an opportunity to embarrass him. The daiyoukai was... amused. Though he felt flattered as well, that Inuyasha would make such a fool of himself simply trying to say that he was pretty. Er, handsome.

"So," The demon lord began, sounding as indifferent as he always did. Though if you looked closely, you could see a slight twinkle in his eyes that probably meant he was up to no good. "You are saying that you are _attracted_ to me, Inuyasha?" The daiyoukai spoke, his voice coming out in a slightly mocking tone. To anyone who wasn't listening closely, they would swear that the man had been _purring_, but the hanyou knew that it's undoubtedly arousing tones were unintentional. Inuyasha's face went even redder at that, and he turned his head away from his brother, not wanting to embarrass himself any further.

"Not that I can help it..." Inuyasha mumbled under his breath. "Who _wouldn't_ find you beautiful?"

Sesshomaru wasn't able to hear what the hanyou was muttering, but dismissed it as unimportant. He looked outside the cave now, noticing that it was completely dark. Earlier he had still been able to _see_ at least, but now it was turning pitch black outside the cave, and inside was becoming dark as well. He allowed his eyes to fall shut, realizing that the only thing to do now was to wait until morning. He wouldn't sleep, no, his body was getting too used to that as of late; if he permitted himself to drift off any more, he might not be able to return to his regular schedule once he regained his demonic energy.

And he wouldn't have that.

His eyes opened slightly when he heard the half-demon begin growling again, and allowed himself to wonder if he was really in that much discomfort.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou heard the deep voice from across the cave, and he could barely drudge up the effort to turn and look at his brother. It was pointless though, as he knew Sesshomaru wouldn't be able to see him. He could see just fine, however, and was stunned to see the slightly worried look on Sesshomaru's face.

"What?" He answered, managing not to sound like a complete bastard. The question _was_ clipped, however, and he was aware that it was harsher than needed.

"Inuyasha... if you are that uncomfortable, then stepping into the water for a bit might cool you down." The daiyoukai suggested.

The hanyou breathed in relief.

Yes.

Yes, that sounded good.

He pushed off the ground with his good arm, attempting to stand by himself and succeeding for the most part, only stumbling slightly as he tried to regain his balance. He saw Sesshomaru stand as well, not having the least bit of trouble, and he noticed the daiyoukai pause before stepping towards the entrance of the cave. It was a bit lighter outside now, the moon shining down onto the black waters with a subtle elegance. Inuyasha hesitated at the edge of the stream for a moment, considering how he wanted to do this. Should he step completely into the water, and just pour water on himself until he felt better? But if he fell into the waters it would be difficult to resurface with a numb arm... he still hadn't quite gotten used to it yet, so maybe that wasn't the best idea.

"Sit down and be still, half-breed. I will assist you."

Inuyasha hesitantly obeyed, eyeing his elder brother suspiciously. But, hey. If Sesshomaru was offering to help, who was he to say no?

* * *

Kagome continued whispering into Kirara's ears, rubbing the fur around her neck gently as she urged her to continue forward. She wanted to reach Inuyasha as soon as possible, and they already had a fair amount of distance ahead of her. So, she didn't allow the fire-cat to stop, deciding that when it truly became too much they could take a short rest. Idly, she pulled a few treats out of her humongous backpack, offering them to the two-tail and smiling when she slowed her pace to chew. Yes, soon she would be with her love once more. Really though, she felt sort of silly now. Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru?

The mere thought was simply ridiculous.

* * *

Inuyasha didn't know if he would be able to take much more of his situation. Sesshomaru had indeed 'assisted' him, though the way he had run his hand up and down the hanyou's chest, dexterous fingers rolling over every piece of exposed skin Inuyasha allowed him to touch felt more like torture. Sweet, sweet torture. The daiyoukai had a strange look on his face throughout the whole ordeal, and Inuyasha had found it exceptionally important to not look into his deep, icy pools of gold. Those eyes seemed like they could peer right into his soul, and it greatly unnerved him. Inuyasha also found that the itching died down a bit after Sesshomaru had given him the thorough rub down, though every so often a particularly painful spike would rush through him and he'd grit his teeth before the feeling died down to little more than a dull, constantly throbbing annoyance. The water had clung to their skin, leaving two dripping inu demons inside the cave. That did nothing to help Inuyasha's current predicament. It was hard enough not to stare at Sesshomaru, but when it was a soaked, _wet_ Sesshomaru, everything was all the more difficult.

Inuyasha sighed.

Life simply wasn't fair.

Sesshomaru was pleased to say that his wounds had almost completely healed, and his chest no longer hurt, much to his relief. This made him all the more willing to help his little brother with his current problem, though Sesshomaru would never admit to _liking_ being able to touch the hanyou. Ever. In a million years. _Hell_ would freeze over before— well, you get the point. It was oddly warm outside, and the slight breeze that filled the cave every so often felt good on his still drying skin. He allowed his eyes to close momentarily, beginning to feel slightly drowsy. It wasn't long before the daiyoukai drifted off into a light doze, his head falling to the side slightly.

Inuyasha noticed immediately when he was asleep, as he could hear the demons breathing slow down a small margin, and he happened to catch his eyelids sliding close whiles he was busy not staring at the daiyoukai. With Sesshomaru unable to catch him now that he was unconscious, Inuyasha found himself watching the older male freely, not having the resolve to chastise himself for his actions. It had been a _very_ long day. As if in response to that, Inuyasha's skin flared and he cursed under his breath as his hand automatically reached up to his neck and began scratching. He felt his skin burn as his claws only made things worse, and other parts of his body, seeming to notice Inuyasha finally giving his skin some attention, focused on making the itching as painful as possible so that he would scratch them, too.

Inuyasha sighed, whining low in his throat as he began to rake his claws over every part of himself that he could touch, desperate to get rid of the irritating sensation. He found that it was hard to even dredge up the energy to scowl, and closed his eyes tightly while he forced his hand to still.

Yes, it had been a long day.

But he had a feeling it was going to be an even longer night.

o0o

Morning came much too quickly, and Inuyasha groaned when a few hints of daylight snuck inside the cave, wishing that he had gotten a bit more sleep. Sesshomaru, to his credit, woke easily, appearing none the worse for wears, and considerably drier than he had been last night. Inuyasha found that his itching hadn't died down, but he was getting better at ignoring it. And if he focused hard enough on daydreaming, he was able to forget about the poison altogether, though the fact that most of his daydreams were about Sesshomaru certainly wasn't helping anything in the end.

Inuyasha stood and stretched, walking outside the cave, pointedly not looking at his unusable arm. It would only bring on his ever-present scowl, and he just didn't feel like dealing with the disappointment at the moment. Honestly, he had hoped that the venom would have run its course by morning. He sighed, stepping forward and inhaling deeply, sighing as he got a nose full of Sesshomaru when the daiyoukai walked past him and towards the stream. He wasn't going to admit that the demon lord's smell was incredibly intoxicating, because it wasn't. Really. He sorted through the scent, secretly trying to figure out what made it so addictive when he came across a slightly more familiar one. He turned, inhaling again, closing his eyes slightly to focus.

Amber orbs snapped open when he realized just _what_ he had been sniffing.

"Kagome?" He whispered, wondering how in the world she could smell so close. He looked off into the forest, an abstract expression falling onto his face.

Kagome was definitely near. But _why_? Her aura was approaching with speed faster than the miko possessed, and it took Inuyasha a moment to realize that Kirara's scent was with her as well. Inuyasha found himself sighing slightly, almost feeling a bit troubled with her presence.

He rolled his eyes slightly, before moving back to the river, where Sesshomaru was sitting quietly. The daiyoukai's legs were crossed, eyes shut in a perfect expression of calm.

He eyed his brother for a moment, before he saw the mirror image of his golden eyes crack open slowly, one after the other.

"Is something bothering you, little brother?"

The question startled him, but he was able to shake off the surprise, twisting his face into a trademark scowl.

"Feh. I smell trouble, that's all." He grumbled, not knowing quite why he felt inclined to even answer the daiyoukai, instead of simply telling him to bug off. Whatever the reason, he felt his anger retreating slightly at the soft, 'hn.' that escaped Sesshomaru's lips. "Kagome's somewhere near here..."

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said, not bothering to open his eyes this time. He found that meditating was an excellent way to get rid of any unwanted thoughts, and it also provided time to think without expressing what he was feeling. Inuyasha needed to 'take a chill pill' as he had once heard the miko say, and though he wasn't quite sure what that entailed, he got the general gist.

Inuyasha frowned slightly, about to tell Sesshomaru off, when the daiyoukai opened his eyes again, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Inuyasha with those chilling eyes of his.

"It will help you forget about your irritated skin." Sesshomaru said simply, sounding, for lack of a better way of putting it, like someone trying to convince someone else that _their_ way was better.

Inuyasha's scowl quickly turned into an interested expression, and he promptly closed his eyes, crossing his legs and after a few moments of consideration, crossing his arms as well, instead of Sesshomaru, who's hands rested on his knees lightly. Once this process was finished, the hanyou frowned, realizing he didn't quite know what to do from there. He sat still for a few moments, sneaking a few glances over to the daiyoukai every so often, noticing how he looked so serene. He was once again wearing his expressionless mask, though somehow Inuyasha knew that he was completely at peace.

After a few more moments of sitting still and doing nothing, Inuyasha's frown grew deeper.

He began muttering slightly, opening his eyes fully. "This is boring—"

"Relax your mind. "Sesshomaru spoke, eloquently cutting off the half-demon. "Focus on the nothingness provided by empty thoughts." The daiyoukai supplied. After a few more seconds, he added, "And _cease_ your incessant staring." He said before going quiet once more. Really, did the hanyou think that he couldn't _feel_ those eyes on him? Sending tingles up and down his— ahem.

After hastily denying having ever stared, Inuyasha reluctantly followed Sesshomaru's advice, clearing his mind of every inconvenience he had dealt with lately. After a moment, he found himself slipping away from reality, a drowsy feeling settling over him. His ears dropped slightly, and a soft sigh tumbled from his lips. This was nice, he decided. It felt good to not have to worry about anything, not _think_ about anything (because contrary to popular belief he _did_ think), and not have to banish away thoughts of his brother.

Sesshomaru.

In spite of his previous thoughts, Inuyasha found his mind centering on the subject of the demon lord, Sesshomaru's face appearing in his mind. In the past, when Sesshomaru would charge forwards to— presumably— kill him. He always looked so calm during battle, nothing appeared to faze him.

He saw Sesshomaru's face just after they had shared that impromptu and _entirely_ unwarranted kiss, his face flushed and eyes wide. That was a rather good look on him...

'**Now just imagine his face in the future, when he's writhing underneath us—'**

'Dammit can't you leave me alone for one day!'

'—**moaning our name.'** His youkai continued in a mocking tone. He could almost hear the smirk in its words. **'Inuyasha, Inuyasha!'**

'You're SO annoying! If you had a physical form I would—'

"Inuyasha!"

Said hanyou snapped out of his meditative state, shaking his head wildly as his eyelids went into overdrive, blinking rapidly until he could see again.

"Wha—? Huh?"

He glanced over to Sesshomaru, who was staring at him suspiciously. His lips had fallen into what could be called a pout, though the daiyoukai himself would swear he was simply hiding a frown.

"I asked you a question." Sesshomaru said plainly, face arranged into his normal expressionless... expression.

Inuyasha frowned. "Uh..."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes discretely, before turning to stare back at the water. It wasn't difficult to hide the smile on his lips, as his hair provided an excellent curtain to shield his face from prying eyes. Really, Inuyasha was _quite_ adorable when he was all clueless, ears drooping to the side and—

Dammit!

He was about to furiously chastise himself about comparing Inuyasha to _any_ word that wasn't a synonym of disgusting, when a soft, rapidly growing thumping noise reached his ears. He looked off into the distance, just barely able to see over the cave's roof, a large, indigo-colored figure racing towards him. After a moment of thinking about all the things that it could possibly be, he scowled, beginning to mumble under his breath, "Oh for _Kami's sake_." Inuyasha growled as he smelled the familiar scent getting closer, standing as a giant fox leapt towards them, and landing with a crashing thud on top of the small hill. It managed to hold an air of dignity, even though the wild smirk was apparent on its face.

Sesshomaru felt like crying. Wasn't it enough that he agreed to _mate_ with him? Why did he have to follow him _everywhere?_

Amatsu slowly changed back into his humanoid form.

Sesshomaru wanted to just lie down and die. Though he forced himself to walk towards the fox demon; not noticing the absolutely _livid_ expression on Inuyasha's face.

"Hello, Fluffy."

Inuyasha was, in fact, very angry. And he wouldn't admit to the twinge of jealousy that flared when he remembered Sesshomaru's words several days before.

'**This guy is our competition!'** His youkai howled.

Inuyasha scowled stubbornly, refusing to give in to the urge to run over and beat the snot out of the indigo-haired demon.

"Amatsu." Sesshomaru said in greeting.

As the half-demon gave Amatsu the evil eye, an awkward air settled over the three.

"A little birdie told me, that a certain inu was coming to my home."

Sesshomaru frowned as he realized Chikotsu must have disclosed this information. Of _course_ she would tell him.

"I've come to escort you."

"Hello! I'm right here!" Inuyasha interjected, clenching his fists tightly together.

Amatsu turned, giving the half-demon a bored look.

"Yes, and?"

"Why I oughta—"

"Inuyasha, enough." Sesshomaru said tiredly. If he was going to mate with Amatsu, he might as well get the whole thing over with _quickly_ and start now. But first, he would have to explain his current predicament. He sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Amatsu, I—"

"You don't have to say anything, _Sesshomaru_. Chikotsu told me this as well."

Sesshomaru blinked.

"...Oh. Well then—"

Sesshomaru was cut off once more (much to his annoyance), when Amatsu took the few strides necessary to close the distance between them, snaking an arm around Sesshomaru's waist and using his other hand to gently grab the demon lords chin, pressing his lips to the other daiyoukai's demandingly. Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly, but he resisted the urge to pull back, reminding himself that he was going to have to get used to this.

That thought made him shudder slightly. But he wasn't about to explain to Amatsu that it was in disgust, and not pleasure. Let him think what he wanted to. Reluctantly, Sesshomaru pressed back, returning the kiss with the slightest of pressures, before pulling away.

Sesshomaru would admit that it wasn't terrible. Amatsu obviously knew what to do with his mouth, but that wasn't the problem. It just... didn't feel...

The daiyoukai shook his head.

Something just didn't seem right about it.

Regardless, as he felt Amatsu attempting to pull him close once more, he placed one hand on the other daiyoukai's chest, attempting to push him away.

"Amatsu, control yourself." He spoke, voice perfectly even. There was an odd look on Amatsu's face, but he obeyed, taking a step away and giving Sesshomaru back his personal space, much to the demon lord's relief.

Inuyasha was furious.

He felt jealous and betrayed, and hurt and confused all in one. His youkai was enraged, snarling and demanding that he stop this. But the hanyou could do nothing but look on, a frown set on his face and an odd feeling in his stomach.

"Come, Fluffy. I'll take you back to my home. You'll revert to your true form?" The daiyoukai asked. "Or would you rather me carry you?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, resisting the _strong_ urge to roll his eyes.

"Amatsu, you know that I am incapable of doing that in my current state." Sesshomaru said, ignoring the other daiyoukai's question.

The fox demon blinked. "... Why?" He asked.

Sesshomaru frowned.

"I thought you said Chikotsu had told you; my demonic powers have been repressed. That's why I was going to your castle in the first place— your healer knows the remedy."

His tone was flat, and an odd tone was settling over Sesshomaru as he kept an even stare on the fox demon.

Amatsu's expression went from shocked, to understanding, to slightly hurt.

"Oh."

The word was said softly, so quietly that Sesshomaru wasn't even sure if he heard him correctly. For a moment he pondered why the fox suddenly seemed to upset, but brushed off the thought. He didn't particularly care, at the moment.

Suddenly, Amatsu seemed to cheer up, and he gave the demon a haughty smirk. "Well then! Let's get back to the castle, so I can turn _my_ Fluffy back to normal."

This time, fluffy— er, Sesshomaru, _did_ roll his eyes.

Amatsu turned his head to Inuyasha, finally, noticing for the first time his sour expression, and the way his jaw was locked firmly in place. His smirk grew as he realized that the hanyou was jealous, and he stepped closer, throwing an arm around Sesshomaru's waist just to annoy the half-breed.

Sesshomaru glared at the fox demon, realizing that he had gotten even_ bolder_ with his ministrations than the last time they had met, and silently cursed Chikotsu for her meddling.

"Are we to be taking your brother with us, as well?"

Sesshomaru looked to Inuyasha, and as their eyes met it seemed that they could almost understand each other.

_I _swear _if you leave me alone with him..._

_Like _hell _I'm leaving you alone with him._

Inuyasha nodded, rubbing at a particularly itchy spot on his shoulder blade. No matter the weird looks, he _had_ to scratch, dang it!

"Feh! 'Course! He's still wearing my clothing, after all." Inuyasha snapped, reveling in the envious glint in the fox-demons eyes.

Amatsu frowned, but chose not to ask just _why _exactly his soon-to-be-mate wearing another man's clothes, settling instead for just sending a piercing glare towards the hanyou. It wasn't as cold as Sesshomaru's tended to be, but it had the same effect. Inuyasha ignored this, however, looking off into the distance where he still smelled Kagome approaching quickly. He didn't want to just _leave _her out there...

"But first I gotta go get Kagome..." He mumbled.

Amatsu frowned. "Who? We have no time for detours, my Fluffy needs help—"

"We need to get my brother's jewel-detector, Amatsu."

"Anything you want, Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, attempting to turn his face into one that was a little less spiteful. Amatsu turned to him, looking slightly angry and staring at Inuyasha with a resentful scowl.

"Just lead the way, half-breed."

* * *

foxgirl: Hope you enjoyed! Hopefully, I can get the next chapter to you sometime next week. Thank you once again for reading!

Vixen: Review, please.


	11. A Midsummer Nights Dream: Act I

Thanks to my beta **neenabluegirl**, and **Evelyn Dark **for getting this back to me so promtply! And cookies to those who can tell me why I chose that title!

* * *

Chapter Eleven: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act I

* * *

Sesshomaru was getting tired of this. The bickering, the _shouting_, the tense glares— it was getting to be too much. And really, _why_ did Inuyasha despise Amatsu so? Sure, the guy was a bastard, but if he would stop _baiting_ him then maybe the fox would stop yelling! They were both starting the arguments, and it was simply astounding the way Inuyasha would react whenever the fox demon even _touched_ Sesshomaru. The daiyoukai's jaw was locked as he continued walking, attempting to ignore the noises of them arguing in favor of stomping silently ahead, eager to find Inuyasha's bitch so they could leave.

Up until a few minutes ago, they had both been settled quite uncomfortably on Amatsu's back, and in his transformed state it hadn't taken long to get to where Kagome was traveling.

They had been walking for _five_ minutes, and the quarreling had started.

_Five. Minutes._

Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder, scowling lightly at the two.

Really, perhaps he wouldn't _mind_ so much, if he knew what they were fighting _about_.

He let out an uncontrollable sigh of relief when he saw the miko flying towards them on the two-tailed cat, thanking whatever higher power there was as she landed and hopped off, running towards his half-brother.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, lunging towards the half demon and burying her head in his chest.

Sesshomaru pointedly ignored the twinge of jealousy that flared in him from this small action, looking away from the sight. This was how it was supposed to be, after all. It would make it much harder to feel affection towards the hanyou if he was involved with this child. Though he wouldn't deny the hanyou had poor taste. She was incredibly spoiled, he thought, and she was always shouting at the hanyou. Really, _why_ in the world would Inuyasha choose this girl when he could have had— ...

Sesshomaru stopped his train of thought there.

"Inuyasha, I was worried." Kagome said, looking up at him with wide, brown eyes. She was still pressed against him in a one-way hug, her chest awkwardly pushing against his. The hanyou blinked, uncomfortably patting her on the back before attempting to reform his personal bubble by stepping back. The miko offered him one of her brilliant smiles, though the stirring feeling he usually felt in his chest when she did so was gone. This puzzled him slightly, but he managed to fake a look of indifference.

"Kagome, what are you doing here?" He asked. "When did you get back?"

The teenager smiled happily and explained everything while Sesshomaru tuned her out, frowning as Amatsu stepped closer to him and placed an arm around his waist. He decided to let the gesture go, seeing as at this point there wasn't really anything to do about it.

Sesshomaru failed to notice the hanyou glaring at Amatsu, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched.

"Inuyasha, are you even listening to me!? Sit boy!"

Amatsu let out a bark of laughter as Inuyasha fell to the ground, throwing his head back.

Kagome appeared to notice him for the first time, glancing nervously at the arm around Sesshomaru's waist, and his nonchalant attitude about the whole thing. So then, Sesshomaru really _was_ gay. Huh. Kagome colored, avoiding eye contact with the daiyoukai, failing to realize that he wasn't even sending her a passing glance.

"As much as I hate to break up this 'happy little reunion'," Amatsu began, smirking deviously. (He really _did_ enjoy seeing Inuyasha in such pain.) "We must return to my castle at once, for Fluffy's immediate treatment."

Kagome nodded slowly, wondering what his plan of travel was.

Amatsu, was simply glad that now that this human was here, his hanyou would surely be less preoccupied with _his_ soon-to-be-mate.

Sesshomaru was regarding Amatsu's hand with disgust, and was wishing sourly that the fox demon would remove it, before he did it himself. With his claws.

Inuyasha was having similar thoughts.

* * *

"Miroku what are we going to do!" Sango asked, glaring bitterly at the spot the miko had flown off from days earlier. The monk simply shrugged, reclining back in his seated position against the fence, looking completely calm and at peace.

Sango was furious.

How dare Kagome just take off with Kirara like that, without even asking her permission! That girl had a lot of nerve if she believed that she was going to get away with this— best friend or not.

"Sango, perhaps we should simply let things be. Kagome will be safe with Inuyasha and

Sesshomaru, and they'll all return soon enough."

Sango huffed, crossed her arms and sat beside Miroku.

"I suppose so." She grumbled, still feeling a little angry. She was glad that Shippo and Rin took the liberty to go and entertain themselves, leaving the demon slayer some peace. In her upset state, she would have found their laughter and running around especially annoying. She was actually rather bored, without Kirara around to entertain her, though she wasn't too thrilled with the thought of playing tag with screaming children either. The demon slayer frowned, pulling her knees up and resting her elbows on them, allowing her head to droop and focused on attempting to set the patch of grass in front of her on fire with her mind.

It wasn't working.

"Sango, Miroku."

The two looked up at Kaede's voice, curious expressions taking over their faces as they noticed her grim look.

"A child just ran here all the way from her village, she claims it's having trouble with a

demon."

Sango stood, almost glad for the change of pace.

"We're happy to help, Kaede." She claimed, with a smile.

Miroku stood as well, beginning to ask Kaede about what she knew, exactly.

Sango looked off into the distance briefly, before focusing her attention back to the old priestess.

_Looks like you're gonna have to wait, Kagome. We have more important things to worry about.  


* * *

Inuyasha was seriously entertaining thoughts to kill Kagome._

Well, not _kill_ her exactly, but injure her severely.

At the very least, make sure she couldn't speak anymore.

They had reached the castle and as the group began walking towards the doors that would take them inside Kagome would _not shut up._ Inuyasha had grit his teeth together, seeming to realize that if he said anything that would only make it worse. Sesshomaru was making a point to walk ahead of her as quickly as possible, his long legs making this easy. Amatsu seemed even more eager to get away, an agitated expression on his face as his hands twitched in what appeared to be an effort not to just _kill_ the girl and get it over with. But (shockingly) the three demons restrained themselves as as they finally stepped through the entrance, everyone heaving out noticeable sighs of relief as Kagome went quiet in awe of the large building she was now inside. Amatsu's castle was decorated in purple's and blacks, splashes of silver thrown in the décor at random intervals. The foyer they were standing in now was particularly breathtaking, portraits of past lords and ladies adorning the hall as it continued onward.

After a moment, everyone heard the small noise of someone clearing their throat, and once their heads were turned, it was apparent that someone had been waiting for them.

Inuyasha took notice of the fox-demon before them, wondering who he was— and why he was just standing there. The demon appeared to be a little shorter than he was; not nearly as big as Sesshomaru or Amatsu. His shoulders were not as broad either, and his ebony-colored hair was short and pleasantly mussed. His eyes were an interesting silver color, shining slightly as they rested on the man who was so deeply interested in Sesshomaru.

Amatsu himself didn't seem to notice the intent gaze, though he did smile at the obviously younger demon, taking a small step closer.

Sesshomaru didn't care _who_ the demon was, he was just glad that the fox daiyoukai's attention was diverted from him for a moment.

Amatsu's eyes lit up as he took in Shiuchi, eager to share with him all that had happened.

"Amatsu-sama." Shiuchi spoke, bowing respectfully. "Sesshomaru-sama, his brother I assume, and... the human." He looked up, but resisted the urge to ask _why_ the woman was in the castle. Even more so, what was up with the two-tailed cat? "I trust your journey went well?"

Amatsu nodded, and he saw Shiuchi hesitate for a moment.

Generally, after Amatsu came back from a trip the younger demon would greet him at the door— provided he could get away from his lessons with the cook— with a timid embrace, in which a quick round of tag usually followed. Amatsu smiled slightly, feeling a warmth flood his chest as he recognized the familiarity of it. He was glad to see Shiuchi, he noted, and would have to talk to him later on, in private. He would be positively _thrilled_ when he found out that Sesshomaru had finally agreed to his offer. Knowing that his chosen mate wouldn't be jealous, Amatsu stepped over to his friend and circled his arms around the fox demons waist, his smile growing at the feeling of his closest companion in his arms once more. He failed to notice Shiuchi's blush (a shade that would have made the robe of the fire-rat jealous), as he tentatively placed his hands on his lord's shoulders briefly, before stepping back. Shiuchi sent a frantic look towards Sesshomaru, hoping that the inu demon wouldn't be too upset with him for touching his intended, but Sesshomaru didn't seem to care. In fact, Sesshomaru wasn't even sending a passing glance in their direction, in favor of looking around the castle, all the while looking slightly impatient. Shiuchi found this rather... odd. But decided not to question it. After all, his lord and this demon were in love, right?

This thought sent a wave of emotion through him, but he forced himself not to dwell on the matter. Setting on a smile, he stepped away from Amatsu and bowed. "My lord..." He spoke, willing the rosy tint to his cheeks to fade. "I informed the servants to prepare a room for your return but..." He bowed his head lower, attempting to hide the red color steadily creeping up his throat. He so rarely displeased Amatsu, he didn't want to begin now. "I wasn't aware you would be having any other guests..."

Amatsu waved his hand.

"That's fine." He spoke, brushing off the subject. "I'll tell them to have two more rooms prepared."

Shiuchi nodded, and then, unsure of what he was needed for, turned and began to hastily walk away, telling himself that he could find Amatsu again later.

"Shu— wait a moment."

Shiuchi blushed at the use of his nickname in front of all these... _people_, but turned around regardless, biting his bottom lip gently, before letting out a soft, "Yes?"

Amatsu let his gaze linger on Shiuchi's mouth longer than he would have preferred.

"I would like to speak with you for a moment. Will you be able to come to the library later?"

Shiuchi gave a short nod, briefly acknowledging his lord's companions, before continuing off once more, headed back for the kitchens. He ignored the butterflies in his stomach, telling himself that it was hopeless, and he should begin the process of getting over his little 'crush' before it got even worse. Though, he mused to himself, that wasn't likely; as he first realized that he felt something for his lord in several years past— and it had developed into something _much_ stronger than simply a passing fancy.

"Who's that?" Kagome asked a moment later, still watching where Shiuchi had disappeared around a corner.

Amatsu looked over at her. "That was Shiuchi, he works in the kitchens." He answered, beginning to turn down a different corridor, heading straight for the healer. The other three followed immediately, Kagome attempting to keep up with their long strides. Kirara easily padded alongside everyone, choosing to stay close to Sesshomaru. She had missed her new friend.

"You two seem rather... close." Kagome said, sounding a bit doubtful.

Amatsu let out a small chuckle, looking over at her.

He had already figured out that the girl was rather homophobic. Not that he cared much, but he would enjoy teasing her.

"And what if we are?"

Kagome paled.

They all reached the healer rather quickly, finding an extremely impatient Chikotsu waiting at the door.

"_There_ you are." She growled, rolling her eyes. "Come, come! I've already told Leiko you were on your way..."

At this, she grabbed onto Sesshomaru's wrist, beginning to pull him towards the door. And though he told himself that _this_ Sesshomaru would not allow himself to be dragged around like a rag doll, he was unable to stop from quickening his steps so that he wouldn't fall over from her grip.

She threw open the heavy wooden door, looking around, before spotting the old youkai huddled over a bubbling cauldron filled with an unidentifiable, green liquid. Sesshomaru looked at it in distaste, wondering what possible use it could have. Kagome, Inuyasha, Kirara, and Amatsu followed soon after the two, Kagome looking around the healer's room in wonder. It wasn't very large, but it was stuffed to the brim with vials and jars full of the oddest things imaginable. There was a high table in the middle of the room, most likely for her 'patients'. The cauldron was in the back of the room, surrounded by shelves holding numerous ingredients. Leiko herself looked old, much older than Sesshomaru, but not quite as aged as Kaede. Her hair was pulled back, the light-blue strands glinting slightly as the light from the sconces around the room shone.

"Lord Sesshomaru." She spoke, in a pleasant, soft voice. "I was expecting you. I trust you enjoyed my little spell?"

The inu daiyoukai's expression was next to unreadable, but Inuyasha could tell he was upset. The corners of his lips were down turned slightly, his eyes narrowing just a tad as he stared at the woman with a look that (properly translated from 'Sesshomaru' into normal) said, 'what kind of stupid question is that?'

The healer seemed to see it, for she chuckled softly.

"Yes. Well, lucky for you, I have the remedy all prepared and ready."

Sesshomaru nodded.

Yes. Finally. Things appeared to be going his way, for the first time in a while.

Leiko finally acknowledged the others in the room, frowning slightly when she came to Kagome. The miko didn't appear to notice, still looking at the labels on some of these jars and wondering what exactly an 'Inflamed Scripple Tapple's Tail' was.

"I am, unfortunately my lord, going to have to ask everyone who has youkai blood to leave the room, aside from Lord Sesshomaru, that is."

Amatsu frowned.

"What? Why?" He demanded, upset that he would have to leave his 'love' so soon.

Leiko, seeming to have anticipated this, simply rolled her eyes.

"The cure to my 'curse', if you will, is a miasma that needs to be inhaled. Your noses," Here she gestured to Inuyasha and Amatsu, "Are so sensitive, they will pick up the scent as well. Now, this substance _forcefully _brings your youkai to the surface, unleashing tremendous amounts of demonic energy, therefore relinquishing the spell that is subduing Sesshomaru's demonic abilities. If your youkai is not suppressed, it will only serve to drive you mad, and I suspect the half-breed will lapse into a state where he could be dangerous to everyone here." She stood silent for a moment, waiting for her words to sink in. When she was sure everyone understood, she continued, "So, you two, out. The human... _might_ be fine, granted she isn't completely averse to unpleasant smells."

Amatsu frowned, but began to move, pressing a soft kiss to Sesshomaru's temple before exiting the room. Kirara followed, wondering slightly why Sesshomaru was allowing the gesture. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, trying to pretend that he wasn't jealous as he stalked out as well, Kagome following closely behind. That healer didn't appear to have her... 'best intentions' in mind when she implied that Kagome could stay.

Sesshomaru looked around the now almost empty room, sending a wary glance to the healer.

"Tell me, healer. Why won't this 'miasma' effect you?"

Leiko's eyes twinkled.

"Why, I shall be holding my breath, of course."

oOo

After they left the room, Chikotsu winked once at her brother, before skipping off.

Inuyasha glared at Amatsu distastefully. Amatsu returned the stare, sniffing once, lightly, before turning and beginning to saunter off.

"It will most likely be a while. I suggest finding a servant to show you to your rooms." He said airily over his shoulder, hoping that he had successfully managed to piss off the hanyou. Of course, he had. Inuyasha ground his teeth together as he stalked in the opposite direction, mumbling under his breath about 'stupid foxes with their stupid uppity ways of walking'. He glanced back at the Healer's door once more, before turning forwards again and frowning.

"Well Inuyasha, aren't you glad it's finally over?"

He glanced to his right, seeing Kagome stare up at him with a brilliant smile. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yeah. Sure." He replied offhandedly, not really in the mood to speak to the miko.

"What's _your_ problem?" She asked, wrinkling her nose. Inuyasha simply sighed, choosing to ignore her and lean against the wall next to the large door in what he hoped was a casual manner. In all actuality, he was sort of worried. What if something went wrong? What if the Healer accidentally _killed_ him instead of giving him the cure?! ...! What if—

"Inuyasha!"

The hanyou snapped out of his dazed state, looking at the miko as if he hadn't known she was standing there. Kagome ground her teeth together, before deciding that she wasn't going to sit him. Nope. And she would leave, and when she saw him again he would realize what a lovely person she was for not losing her temper when he was being so difficult.

"I'm going to find one of those servants so I go to my room." She sad, trying not to sound to angry. The miko began to stomp off, Kirara close on her heals, but faltered slightly as she saw Inuyasha didn't appear to be moving anytime soon. "Uh..." She began. "So you're just gonna... wait? Out here? ...For Sesshomaru?"

That seemed to shock the hanyou into motion.

"What?! O-of _course_ not!"

And he promptly began stalking off down the hall. Very soon, and much to his relief, Kagome was out of sight.

Now, he could think.

Which probably wasn't the best thing, as Inuyasha wasn't a very good multi-tasker. Therefore, he wasn't really watching where he was going. But that didn't matter right now.

What did: he had greatly underestimated how it would feel to see Sesshomaru with someone else.

Every time the fox casually touched his hip, and those _kisses_—

Inuyasha shook his head, willing himself not to think about it.

'**What d'ya mean '**_**don't think about it**_**!?' That's **_**our**_** future mate he's touching! I say we follow that pansy ass fox demon and give him a piece of our—'**

His youkai was cut off— rather violently— when Inuyasha found himself slamming into something. He heard a shout as both he and whomever he had bumped into fell, and he groaned as he hit the ground, rubbing at his elbow. Something, or rather someone, was on top of him. Inuyasha cracked one eye open, allowing the other one to follow suit when he saw who it was.

That other fox demon, Shi...ntaro? Was it?

It didn't matter.

A pained expression was on his face, and he didn't appear to be moving anytime soon. Half of him was sprawled across Inuyasha's chest, which didn't really bother him much, since the guy wasn't very heavy. But it was the _principle_ of the matter.

"Ahem." He hinted, rather rudely.

Shiuchi finally looked at him, and for a moment, neither said anything.

But, the smaller demon seemed to realize what was wrong, and his face turned a bright red as he flung himself away from Inuyasha, apologies falling out of his mouth.

"I'm so sorry— I didn't mean to— are you alright?— That was entirely my fault— I should've been watching where I was going—"

Inuyasha decided to put him out of his misery.

"Yeah, whatever."

He said, brushing by the demon.

"Um, wait a moment, please."

Inuyasha turned at the small voice, quirking an eyebrow at him. He really didn't feel like stopping to chat.

The demon bit his lip, looking at the floor, before turning his gaze back to the hanyou.

"You are Lord Sesshomaru's brother... so I thought you would know..." He half mumbled. His voice seemed to grow stronger, as his next words came out. "Does... does Lord Sesshomaru _really_ love Amat— My lord?"

Inuyasha blinked.

What the hell kinda question was that?

And suddenly, it became clear, in another rush of it's-so-obvious-that-I-can't-believe-I-didn't-see-it-way-earlier-in-the-chapter, and Inuyasha snorted.

"What, you got a _thing_ for that scruffy fox?"

Shiuchi began steadily turning a crimson color. And as he started stuttering, sending out furious denials that Inuyasha seriously doubted were true, the half-demon was finally becoming interested. So this guy liked Amatsu, huh?

He noticed the fox gradually attempting to creep away, but Inuyasha would have none of it. He reached forwards, grabbing Shiuchi's wrist and walking closer to him, so they would be able to

speak with a guarantee that no one would hear. He could feel that the fox was growing uneasy with his presence, but he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip.

"I think that we could help each other..." Inuyasha started, in a conspirators whisper.

Shiuchi frowned slightly, breaking free of Inuyasha's grip.

"I... don't know what you're talking about." Shiuchi stated firmly. Geez, if he had known that asking a simply question would lead to this, he would've kept his mouth shut.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb. You don't want Amatsu to be mated to Sesshomaru."

Shiuchi didn't know what to say to that.

"That's not... I mean, I don't... but—"

Inuyasha smirked.

"I'll take that as a yes. And I... I have a plan."

The hanyou wasn't to sure about that one, but he did know one thing. He did NOT want Sesshomaru and that man-whore to be together. At all. Ever. And he would do everything in his power to break them apart. Not that he wanted the daiyoukai to _himself_, or anything, it was... mostly to force his youkai to be quiet. It would never let him hear the end of it.

'**Keep telling yourself that.'**

"No." Shiuchi said, taking a step away from the hanyou. "If my lord is happy, then I will not do anything to jeopardize that—"

"Shiuchi?"

Shiuchi stiffened when he heard that voice, but just as quickly recovered, and stepped away from Inuyasha slightly. He turned, facing the person who had spoke, bowing his head.

"Yes, my lord?"

Amatsu looked at the two suspiciously, but seemed to decide on not commenting. "Hey, come with me. I wanna talk to you."

Shiuchi, feeling bold, raised his head. "Concerning what, my lord?"

Amatsu grinned slightly, staring off into space. "About Sesshomaru... he's great, isn't he?" The fox daiyoukai missed the sour look that crossed Shiuchi's face, and by the time he was focusing on the demon again, it was gone, replaced by a smile that didn't quite seem to reach his eyes.

"He's... wonderful, my lord."

Amatsu nodded, seeming to be pleased with the response. "Just... come to the library. I'll meet you there." With that, he turned, not bothering to acknowledge Inuyasha in the slightest.

Shiuchi watched him leave, beginning to follow him, staring at the floor. He looked over his shoulder, intensely silver eyes meeting Inuyasha's amber. They stood there, eyes locked and bodies completely immobile for a few minutes, before Shiuchi's expression hardened and he looked away. Inuyasha was just barely able to catch the next words that the ebony-haired demon threw over his shoulder.

"I'm in."

oOo

Sesshomaru watched the old woman as she hurried about, attempting to look disinterested, but failing, miserably. He was fidgeting. The almighty lord Sesshomaru was fidgeting. He was

restless. And he was impatient. And why the hell was this taking so long!?

He was about to snap at the Healer to hurry it up, when she suddenly turned, holding a clear vial, that contained a questionably pink substance. Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow at the container, but Leiko simply smirked. The daiyoukai was sitting on the table, as he had done so after she commanded Inuyasha and the other's to leave (He wasn't going to give them the pleasure of him even _thinking_ their names. Though they wouldn't know even if he did...). The table was hard, and rather uncomfortable, and he didn't like it. After the others had left, it was established that the Healer was a very powerful water demon, and was able to b\hold her breath for long periods of time. So, Sesshomaru didn't find her nearly as silly as he had when the statement, "Why, I shall be holding my breath, of course," came out of her mouth.

"Are you ready, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru tried not to make his nod to anxious, but the Healer chuckled as she held the vial up to his nose.

"Inhale deeply." She instructed, uncorking the answer to all his recent dreams and holding it steady.

The pink gas seeped out slowly, and Sesshomaru wasted no time in breathing in. It smelled lightly of peaches. A pleasant, tingly feeling filled his body, most of it seeming to seep towards the back of his mind. His eyes shut of their own accord, and Sesshomaru felt a light tingling. He could feel the power growing within him, his strength returning, as well as his sense of hearing, and his nose was able to pick up scents that hadn't been noticeable before. The peachy scent that the pink substance once sported was now sharper, making his nose burn. It twitched uncomfortably, before all of the gas was dispelled. And Sesshomaru felt a harsh stinging sensation, before everything began to _ache. _He inhaled sharply as his left side began to burn; it felt like his flesh was on fire. He turned his head, attempting to see what was wrong, but his body would not allow him the smallest of movements. When he could not support himself any longer because of the pain, he found himself falling backwards, his skull hitting the hard wood of the table with a dull 'thud'. He opened his mouth in a silent scream as the burning sensation grew, and all of a sudden he realized what was happening.

His left arm was growing back.

He furiously protested, trying to tell his youkai that there was no need for this, but it didn't respond, throwing all it's energy into the task at hand. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to cry out as the bones began to spurt and lengthen, nerves and muscles covering them agonizingly slowly. His whole body was in spasms, much as he tried to keep still. His back was arched outward, head tossed back as he squinted his eyes shut tightly, small whimpers escaping from his mouth as the flesh grew anew.

Finally, everything stopped.

He felt a light tingling sensation in his new hand, before it was over.

And oh, the pain.

He didn't even feel like he could move.

"Well... I wasn't expecting _that_."

Sesshomaru forced his eyes to open at the Healers voice, and she was staring at his new arm in wonder. The daiyoukai managed a glare, as he didn't think he would be able to speak, at the moment.

She looked back up at him, before a wry smile escaped her lips.

"I'll have a servant take you to your new chambers, Lord Sesshomaru."

The daiyoukai didn't bother to protest.

oOo

Kagome had found a cute servant to lead her to her new 'chambers', and was now quite content laying on her absolutely gorgeous bed.

And she was thinking.

Inuyasha had been acting... more and more odd every day. It seemed that nothing she said got through to him, and he was ignoring her more and more lately. Now, she was ready to fully blame this on Sesshomaru, but when she thought about the situation more, she realized what was wrong. Inuyasha was thinking about who he was _obviously_ infatuated with. He was enthralled with this person, and was killing himself over trying to tell them how he felt. He was painfully shy, and of course, Inuyasha didn't know a _thing_ about expressing his emotions. And once you had all this figured out, it was easy to make the next jump.

Inuyasha was in love with Kagome.

'Yes.' She thought to herself. It made perfect sense, after all. And all _she_ had to do was show him that she returned his feelings. Then he wouldn't be so scared to confess his feelings.

A smile overtook Kagome's face, and she allowed her eyes to flutter close, hearing Kirara mewing softly next to her.

Yes, she and Inuyasha would be together, soon.

oOo

"Miroku look out!"

Sango hurled her boomerang in the direction of the very _large_ demon that was currently attempting to decapitate her friend, the weapon's trajectory effectively knocking the youkai's strike

aside.

Miroku nodded his thanks to her, throwing a few more sutra's at the limb of his enemy that was closest.

The demon had been staying close to the village, demanding sacrifices every night in return for it not flattening the small living area and killing everyone in it. They had immediately agreed, and so far seven young ladies had already been devoured. Miroku wasn't able to use his wind tunnel, as they were so close to the village, he was afraid he might suck in a few innocent bystanders by accident. Though this demon was nothing compared to going up against Naraku.

He saw Sango's Hairaikotsu fly by again, this time cleanly slicing off one of the appendages the demon was using to stand, and Miroku grimaced as it let out a loud roar.

Jumping back so as not to be trapped under the falling demon, he opted for moving away from Sango, so the youkai would have to choose before attacking. It didn't appear to be particularly smart, and he was sure they'd be able to take care of it fairly easily.

Idly, as the battle continued, Miroku allowed himself to wonder how Inuyasha was faring with his brother.

He couldn't help but wonder, if his assumption had been correct, in that the hanyou was indeed interested in the daiyoukai. If it was true, he would have to admit to it being a bit hard to imagine, though that was to be expected. All the times he had ever seen the two together, all they did was fight.

Miroku smiled softly to himself, imagining the look on Kagome's face if he was right.

Oh.

Kagome.

She was _not_ going to be pleased if Inuyasha did indeed... fancy Sesshomaru.

Quickly, it seemed, it was over, and he stood panting beside Sango as they watched the youkai fall, breathing its last breaths. He glanced over to the demon slayer, noticing how she could managed to look utterly satisfied while _still_ looking exhausted. After a quick check to make sure Sango wasn't injured too horribly, they set off, heading towards the village gates for a well deserved rest. The villagers all looked at them like they were the epitome of awesome, and Miroku sent a few flirtatious smiles to some of the more attractive village women as he and Sango headed for the inn they were to be staying at.

Before they parted ways, Miroku turned to look at the demon slayer.

"Hey, Sango..." He began. She turned, and a smirk grew on his face as he leaned against his staff. "I'll bet you money that Inuyasha will admit to Kagome that he likes Sesshomaru when they get back."

Sango's smirk mirrored his own.

"No way. He'll have already told her, _and_ he and Sesshomaru will be together."

They both nodded, bets in, each laughing silently as they thought about what had just happened.

But, wouldn't it be something, if the two demons actually _did_ like each other?

* * *

Foxgirl: Alright! Another chapter done, and wasn't it so much quicker than previous updates? I'll tell you guys the challenge I have for you after the next chapter, as more people will probably want to after the scene I'm writing... :) I will tell you this though-- it's a writing challenge. More info will be added in the next authors note, so keep your eyes peeled, people! So tell me what you think! I just couldn't resist bringing fluffy's arm back... he's so smexy when he's symmetrical. :D

Vixen: For once, I have to agree with you.


	12. A Midsummer Nights Dream: Act II

foxgirl: yay! I'm getting quicker and quicker! ...I think. And why I always find the need to update this at midnight I'll never know.

* * *

Chapter Twelve: A midsummer night's dream: Act II

* * *

Shiuchi just couldn't force his blush down. He kept replaying the conversation he and the hanyou— Inuyasha— had just had moments before. Now he was hurrying to the library, knowing that Amatsu was expecting him. But he needed to calm down! And what had he been _thinking_, saying he wanted to join in on a plan to _break_ apart his lord and his true love?

'**Yourself,'** Shiuchi's youkai chimed guiltily. **'You were thinking about yourself.' **Shiuchi frowned slightly, though he knew his youkai was telling the truth. **'Wait a minute, I never said this was a **_**bad**_** thing...'**

The fox demon tuned it out now, fretting over whether he should go through with it or not.

Inuyasha had told him, quite clearly, to _seduce_ Amatsu.

First of all, he and Amatsu were good friends, and he didn't want to ruin what they had. Second, Amatsu didn't even _see_ him in that light. It was going to be difficult to seduce someone who didn't think of him in a sexual way, already. And he was fairly certain that their relationship was entirely platonic. Though Amatsu seemed to like to hug him a lot... though that was entirely understandable, seeing as his lord was a very affectionate person. And even if Amatsu _did_ think that he was... (Shiuchi paused in this train of thought, gulping slightly) _sexy_, it was still _wrong_ because he and Sesshomaru were going to be _mated_!

'**But they're not mated **_**yet**_**...'**

'Oh do shut up. I am in _no_ mood.'

Taking in a breath to steady himself, Shiuchi opened the library doors that he now stood in front of, attempting to look cool and collected. He was sure he failed though. He hadn't even given Inuyasha an _answer_ yet and he was still nervous.

"My lord?" He called out, when he wasn't able to see anyone upon first glance. But Amatsu's scent was heavy...

When there was no answer, he tried again, feeling a bit bolder, now that he was sure no one other than them was here. "Amatsu?"

"Oh! Shiuchi."

Said demon turned at the sound of his name, smiling slightly when he saw Amatsu standing off to his left.

"You're here."

Shiuchi nodded, flushing slightly at the thought of what Inuyasha wanted him to do.

Hah. It was funny, almost. He wasn't even sure _how_ to properly seduce someone.

Shiuchi bit his lip, looking off somewhere over Amatsu's left shoulder and drifting off in thought.

"Stop that."

The silver-eyed demon focused on Amatsu, looking at him curiously.

"My lord?"

Amatsu just shook his head.

"Nevermind. Let's sit."

Shiuchi nodded, following Amatsu over to a couple of seats, before turning towards his love— er— his lord. Amatsu seemed extremely excited, and Shiuchi could feel bitterness growing, for he knew the source of his happiness was Sesshomaru. He held back the sigh that was waiting to be released, focusing on just listening as Amatsu began talking, about exactly what had happened. He started with when he had run into Sesshomaru and his group days ago, going into what had happened just earlier that morning. About how he had actually _kissed_ Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru had actually _responded_, and how he was letting him touch him, and how his skin was just _so_ soft, and how cute he looked when he pouted, and how _annoying_ that miko was, and... and it was too much. Shiuchi looked at the ground, feeling his emotions get the better of him. He chastised himself furiously, saying that he should not be upset over this, as he had been prepared for it, but...

"And his brother is just so obviously jealous, it's kinda funny! Oh! But the best part was— was... um... um, hey, Shiuchi?"

Amatsu could smell the fox demon's tears. They confused him, slightly, but at the moment, he was more focused on trying to get him to stop. He _hated_ seeing Shiuchi cry. It just about tore his heart in two every time he saw that tormented face.

Shiuchi worried away at his lip as he felt a few drops of water glide over his cheeks, feeling angry with himself that he was so weak. And he _knew_ that Amatsu had noticed... and... oh, what was he going to think?

"Hey... Shu? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Shiuchi could hear Amatsu coming closer to him, and he wished he wouldn't. Because he knew what the demon would do— he'd try to make him feel better. And right now, he wasn't sure if he could handle that. Amatsu sidled near, and Shiuchi felt the daiyoukai's hands coming around him, pulling him closer. And Shiuchi allowed it, because he didn't have the strength to say no. He hastily wiped away his tears, wishing that he was able to control himself. Amatsu had brought him so that he was half sitting in his lap, one of his hands coming to run through Shiuchi's short, black hair— because he knew that comforted the demon.

"Shu, talk to me."

Shiuchi bit his lip harder, almost drawing blood. He bowed his head, only able to bring up his hands to gently clench onto Amatsu's shirt, knowing that he should savor this moment. This might be the last time he was this close to the daiyoukai, after all.

Amatsu was greatly confounded. He wasn't sure _why_ the demon was crying, he should be _thrilled_. He would never have to hear him complain about Sesshomaru ever again—...!

And suddenly Amatsu understood.

Or, at least, he thought he did.

"Hey, don't worry," He whispered softly into the smaller demon's pointed ear. Shiuchi tried his best not to shiver as goose bumps flared up his neck. "I'll still be able to be with _you_! It's not like we'll never see each other again, when Sesshomaru comes to live here."

At this, Shiuchi was only able to cry harder, soft sobs escaping his body.

Because Amatsu just didn't understand. And he never would.

Amatsu grasped his chin firmly, forcing the other demon to look into his eyes. He wiped away a few tears on his friend's cheek, wishing there was something he could do. Shiuchi was staring up at him as if he were utterly lost, his silver orbs emanating a sadness that Amatsu had never seen there before. And... he wanted to... to erase Shiuchi's pain. He wanted to just... hold him until he stopped crying. Wanted to wipe every single tear from his face. Wanted to kiss those beautiful lips until he felt better— wait, what?

The daiyoukai wasn't quite sure what to make of that last thought. Friends didn't want to... to kiss their friends, right? And he and Shiuchi were _just_ friends, _right?_ ...Right.

Shiuchi appeared to have stopped, for the most part, so Amatsu decided to ignore his previous... contemplations, and he gave the fox demon a firm hug, set on making him feel better. He felt Shiuchi's arms slowly come to wrap around him, and he buried his head in the smaller fox's neck, breathing in his scent. He took great comfort in Shiuchi's unique smell, though he wasn't particularly sure why. He pressed the demon's body closer, feeling Shiuchi almost mold to his form before releasing him.

"Why don't you go lay down? I'll... come check on you later."

Amatsu stood, helping Shiuchi up as well, and the fox demon avoided his gaze.

"That's not necessary, my lord." He murmured. Shiuchi pulled away from the daiyoukai, making his way towards the door quickly, and exiting the library in a hurry. Amatsu stared after him, wondering if he would be okay.

Shiuchi, was highly upset.

He had just made a complete fool of himself.

And his mind wouldn't stop replaying _everything_ Amatsu had said about Sesshomaru— damn his memory— and he just felt so _stupid—_

But then Shiuchi focused on something in particular that the daiyoukai told him.

"_And his brother is just so obviously jealous, it's kinda funny! Oh! But the best part—_

And Shiuchi suddenly understood _exactly_ why Inuyasha wanted to break apart Amatsu and Sesshomaru. And he was _furious_. He was simply _using_ him, so that he could have Sesshomaru to himself. But, he reflected, that should have been obvious. Shiuchi felt embarrassed, humiliated, and just plain miserable. And he didn't know what to do.

So he settled for walking to where he— as well as the other people who worked in the kitchen— slept, curling up onto his bed, and shutting his eyes tightly.

He had made his decision.

Now he was left to wonder whether it was the right one.

oOo

Inuyasha realized he was being stupid.

If Sesshomaru wanted to mate with that rotten fox, who was _he _to say he couldn't? He had, after all, rejected the daiyoukai when he had kissed him. He had _clearly_ shown that he wasn't interested, and now... now he was experiencing the consequences.

'**Dammit, we can't just give up!' **His youkai growled angrily.

He ignored it, however. He was getting much better at that.

With a soft sigh, he turned around, crossing his arms as he stared at the floor and began walking back the way he came.

Sesshomaru was bound to be done with that Healer by now, wasn't he? And... and for some reason, Inuyasha just felt like seeing him. Though he couldn't exactly tell _that_ to the daiyoukai, could he?

He reached the large, wooden door for the second time that day, knocking hesitantly.

"Come in."

Inuyasha did so, looking around for Sesshomaru when he didn't see him in the room.

"Uh—"

"Your brother has been taken to his room. The process took a lot out of him." Leiko answered without looking at the hanyou, stirring something in the cauldron in front of her.

Inuyasha blinked.

"Um... thanks. Er, where—"

"Follow this hallway, and then make a left."

Inuyasha frowned.

"Great. I'll—"

"Your welcome."

Inuyasha shut the door. He began mumbling under his breath as he walked away, reluctantly following her instructions.

"Crazy mind reading—"

Leiko simply smiled.

Once Inuyasha reached Sesshomaru's door, he debated whether he should knock or not. Deciding that just because he had... grown more affectionate towards his brother, didn't mean he should be treated any differently. So Inuyasha threw open the door, setting the customary scowl on his face as he stepped inside, shutting the door closed behind him. Inuyasha took one glimpse around the room, before noticing Sesshomaru splayed out on a western-styled bed in the middle of the room. He was underneath numerous sheets, his head tossed to the side and silver hair spread around the pillows. His eyes had been shut, but Inuyasha noticed them opening slowly now, a light glare settling onto his features. Inuyasha heard Sesshomaru sigh, before seeing the daiyoukai begin to sit up slowly, seeming to be having a difficult time.

And it was now that Inuyasha realized barging in had been a mistake.

The sheets fell off Sesshomaru's pale shoulders, pooling around his waist in a dainty pile. Skin and _more_ skin was revealed as Sesshomaru moved to a seated position, resting most of his weight on his arms, setting his hands behind him slightly. Inuyasha felt his heart beat wildly as his eyes visually consumed Sesshomaru's bare chest, feeling the beginnings of a blush as he felt heat pooling in his stomach. Sesshomaru's hair was pleasantly mussed from having been lying down, and he was having a hard time controlling his youkai's thoughts.

'**Right. **_**My**_** thoughts.'**

Before he could embarrass himself, Inuyasha blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"You have two arms!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, feeling slightly annoyed that Inuyasha interrupted his wonderful nap, and slightly overjoyed that the hanyou had thought to come in the first place. Yes, he was happy. He wasn't going to deny it! He could admit his feelings!

'_This_ Sesshomaru is _not_ a coward.'

"Yes, how very observant of you." He commented offhandedly, easing some of the pressure on his left arm. It was still a little sore, and he didn't want it to hurt even more when this encounter was over.

Inuyasha frowned. "Well, what happened? I mean... you said you didn't need it..."

Sesshomaru's glare intensified. "It's all _your—" _He cut himself off. No, he didn't want to reveal _that_.

After Sesshomaru had been carried back to his room by a guard that was just a wee bit too grabby in his weak state, he had had an extensive talk with his youkai. Which he wasn't sure he was glad to have back, now that it was speaking again. He had almost forgotten how annoying it was. Almost. Sesshomaru was furious that his youkai forced his arm to grow back without his permission. And he had told him so, being as firm and unwavering as possible.

'_Why in the world did you force me to go through that! There was no need to—'_

'_**We must **_**please**_** future mate.'**_It had answered.

'_Amatsu can bloody well go please himself.' _Sesshomaru had hissed back, feeling angry that he had to go through all that pain for that stupid fox.

'_**Not the fox.' **_It had cut off his internal ramblings, leaving Sesshomaru very confused.

'_Then... who—!" _

Sesshomaru had a feeling he knew exactly what it was talking about.

As if to confirm this, his youkai had spoke out, sounding all too pleased with itself,confirming Sesshomaru's suspicions.

'I do _not_ love that hanyou.' Sesshomaru reaffirmed to himself, glaring at the half-breed from across the room. Affection was one thing, but love? That was pushing it a step too far. At least, he hoped it was.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, sitting down on the floor.

Sesshomaru shook his head.

"Nothing. My youkai apparently thought that I needed it for... things, and it re-grew by itself shortly after I inhaled the miasma."

Inuyasha nodded, though he didn't understand how Sesshomaru's youkai managed to make it grow without Sesshomaru's consent. Regardless, he decided it didn't matter.

"Is there a reason you saw it fit to grace me with your _wonderful_ presence, little brother?"

Inuyasha could sense the sarcasm, but decided to ignore it.

"Keh. Just wanted to make sure that old witch didn't kill ya."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'm flattered."

Inuyasha mock snorted.

"Well, you should be."

Inuyasha looked up in time to see the demon lord's lips twitch upward slightly, which in turn forced him to hide a smile. Sesshomaru looked down at him, an amused glint in his eyes. Inuyasha returned the look with a smirk, growing a bit happier. Yes, today was looking up. Now, if only he could convince Sesshomaru to give up Amatsu...

Well. Best to start small.

"So..." Inuyasha began, feeling a bit awkward for the question he was about to ask. "Did everything work right? I mean... are you... are you okay?"

Sesshomaru scoffed. "What? Were you _worried_?" He teased, though his voice stayed as impassive as ever. He sounded indifferent, as he always did, but the truth was that Sesshomaru _did_ care. He told himself that he didn't, but of course it was a lie. When, he wondered, did Inuyasha's opinion begin to matter so much?

Inuyasha blushed slightly, averting his eyes.

"Feh. Of course I was."

This comment startled both demons, and they immediately snapped their heads towards each other, amber locking with amber. They were quiet for a moment, before Sesshomaru broke the silence, his voice sounding softer than usual.

"I thought you said you would never be worried about an 'egotistical bastard' like me?" He questioned, his heart fluttering far too fast in his chest to do as he normally did and quirk an eyebrow. He watched as Inuyasha grew red, before crossing his arms and putting on a tough face. He scowled for a moment, appearing to be thinking of his next response.

"Well... I lied." Inuyasha mumbled softly.

Sesshomaru felt heat blossoming in his cheeks and touched a hand to them lightly, realizing that he was now supporting a very un-Sesshomaru like blush. He forced it down, staring at his left arm instead of the hanyou. If he didn't he was sure he would say something completely inappropriate.

"What... did you just say?"

Inuyasha paled, turning and facing the daiyoukai with an embarrassed look in his eyes. "Y-You heard me?!"

This time Sesshomaru managed to raise one fine silver eyebrow.

"... Yes? My hearing is no longer limited to that of a human's, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha appeared mortified. He bowed his head forward so Sesshomaru couldn't see his frantic expression. This was bad— bad, he said! Sesshomaru wasn't allowed to know how much he... didn't hate him anymore! It would be awful if the daiyoukai found out how he felt.

'**But he **_**kissed**_** you— you idiot! He obviously feel's **_**something**_**—'**

'Must you interrupt _everything_?'

He stood then, willing the blush off his face.

"I'm... uh, kinda hungry. I'm gonna see what that fox has to eat around here."

He gave Sesshomaru a nod as a goodbye, registering when his brother replied with a curt, up and down motion of his head.

And then Inuyasha left.

* * *

Shiuchi was nervous. How did one even _begin_ to seduce someone? Did you start small? Were you supposed to do something specific so they would understand your intentions?

He sighed.

He was reading _way_ too much into this.

_Way _too much, because he had already considered going to the library to see if they had any books on it. He was being absolutely ridiculous, he told himself. He would just have to find out what, exactly, his lord found... appealing about Lord Sesshomaru, and then imitate it. It couldn't be too difficult. He sighed, standing from his cot and beginning to make his way towards the front of the dining hall, after he had exited the room below the kitchens where the servants slept. Once he reached the large doors that marked the entrance to the dining hall, he sighed, opening them as he planned his first step. It would have to be something drastic, to capture Amatsu's attention before he tried more subtle things. But he couldn't for the life of him think of anything 'drastic' he could do without giving himself away. Shiuchi frowned, turning the corner as he prepared to go back towards the library. He was sure Amatsu would still be there.

And as he was walking away, he saw a flash of a silver head of hair, followed by twitching triangular shaped ears.

"I-Inuyasha!" He hesitated slightly, wondering if it was proper of him to address him in such an informal manner. Judging by the face of one of the servants passing by, probably not. The half-demon turned towards him, a questioning look on his face. Shiuchi hurried over to him, biting his lip gently to ease his nervousness. Once he was close enough to speak without being overheard, he took a breath, unable to look the hanyou in the eye.

"I-I'll do it."

Inuyasha blinked, in surprise, before Shiuchi spoke again, this time bringing his eyes up to meet his stare.

"But let me tell you— I know why you don't want my lord and your brother to be married. And I'm _not_ doing this for you." Shiuchi looked a bit angry, but his appearance calmed as he let out a breath. "However I... I wish you and your brother luck."

And with that, he hurried away, to go through with his plan before he changed his mind. And as he was stuck trying to think of a suitable 'first move', Shiuchi realized that it was just about time for Amatsu to eat, which he rarely ever did in the dining hall. An absolutely _perfect_ thought popped into his head, and Shiuchi hurried back to the kitchens, a bright red blush stained onto his face as he thought about what he was about to do.

* * *

Sesshomaru didn't know what to do about his growing... infatuation with Inuyasha. It almost seemed inevitable, but he _desperately_ wanted to refrain from telling him. Being attracted to a good-looking person was one thing, but actually _feeling_ something was entirely different. The daiyoukai sighed slightly, getting out of his nice, comfortable bed. He wouldn't be able to sleep at all now. And he had most of his strength back, if anything.

He was going to go for a short walk. Perhaps _that_, if nothing else, would clear his mind.

Though the fact that he was walking through _Amatsu's_ castle was enough to start the headaches.

oOo

Kagome was very upset.

She had just spent the better half of what she'd like to think was a long time searching for her love, and she couldn't find him _anywhere_. It was almost as if he'd disappeared. Where could Inuyasha be? She rolled her eyes slightly, now paying no attention to where she was walking.

'He probably picked a fight with that fox demon that has a thing for Sesshomaru...' She thought to herself. This brought a frown to her face, and she sighed slightly. She hated it when Inuyasha picked unnecessary fights, but what was _she_ going to do about it? He just wouldn't listen to her. And as Kagome began to think about other corridors she hadn't been down yet, she bumped right into someone walking out of their room. The person was like a barrier, and he didn't even flinch as Kagome recoiled and fell to the floor from the contact. She scowled lightly, flushing as she smoothed her skirt down and stood. Sesshomaru, the person who had caused her to fall, looked at her with a disinterested glance that n lasted less than two seconds, before continuing his walk.

"H-Hey!" She shouted, stomping after him. Sesshomaru made no move to slow, or even acknowledge his presence as she kept talking. "I'm sorry for bumping into you like that," She began, struggling to keep up with his long strides. "I wasn't watching where I was going— could you slow down a bit?"

If Sesshomaru heard the request (which we all know he did), he ignored it. In fact, he had to resist the urge to speed up a little from the normal, steady pace he took. He would have relished the look of annoyance on the girl's face. And why was she following him anyway?

"Are you going somewhere in particular?"

Sesshomaru sighed as he turned a corner, thinking that this was having the opposite effect that the walk was supposed to produce.

"Do you have nothing more constructive to do than bother me with mindless prattle? Leave me."

There, he thought. Simple, and to the point. Perfect for a human like her to understand. Perhaps a bit out of character, but he simply couldn't bite back the insult once his mind had brought it up. He saw her blink in surprise for a moment, before she began to walk faster, seeming to want to get ahead of him.

"Well I was _trying_ to find Inuyasha--- there's no need to be so rude." She said, crossing her arms as she stopped directly in front of him. Sesshomaru merely quirked an eyebrow in response, never stopping his graceful gait as his silver hair swirled behind him. Obviously, the miko hadn't counted on him _not_ stopping for her, and she stumbled to get out of his way as he continued down the corridor. She watched as he disappeared behind another corner, unable to resist the childish urge of sticking her tongue out at him.

Really, she could understand why Inuyasha hated him. He was a world-class jerk.

* * *

Shiuchi had volunteered to bring dinner to Amatsu-sama, mostly because he was determined to set his plan in action. It was now or never, he told himself. So he brought the tray, complete with the meal, and a cup of steaming tea, to the library, knowing that was where Amatsu was. He balanced it on one hand, knocking on the door.

"My Lord?" He called, waiting for the door to open.

It did shortly after, revealing a smiling Amatsu.

"Shiuchi!" He said, sounding glad to see the fox demon. Shiuchi smiled, presenting the tray and gesturing inside.

"May I come in?"

Amatsu turned sideways with an, 'of course!', giving Shiuchi room to get by.

And Shiuchi held the tray in front of him, turning sideways as well to sidle through. His back was to Amatsu's chest, and Shiuchi had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He intentionally stood closer to his lord than absolutely necessary, making sure he brushed most of his body against his Lord's as he went by. He could feel Amatsu stiffen slightly, but didn't know what that meant.

Oh Kami what had he gotten himself into?

He waited until Amatsu had sat down, bringing the tray in front of him and preparing to set it down when he set his plan in motion. Shiuchi reached up to grab the plate to hand to Amatsu, his hand almost shaking. He forced himself to stay calm as he brought it closer, moving quickly. His hand breezed across the tray's wooden surface, and as he got closer and closer to his goal, he allowed his wrist to flick slightly, hitting the cup just enough.

And he intentionally spilled the tea all over Amatsu's lap.

"Gah!"

The daiyoukai sprung up, his eyes widening as he looked down at the mess Shiuchi had made. This was going to _stain_ dammit!

Shiuchi let out a noise of distress, making Amatsu look up at him. He appeared nervous, but Amatsu didn't read too much into it.

"Oh! I apologize Amatsu-sama. Here— let me help."

Shiuchi used what strength he had to push Amatsu back down into his seat, grabbing a napkin that had been set next to his food. He set the actual tray down behind him, making sure all the cuisine was in order before turning back around.

Amatsu was going to say something, but the sight of Shiuchi slowly dropping to his knees in front of him frazzled his nerves a bit. Shaking out of it, the daiyoukai was about to protest, when he saw Shiuchi's hand come down, and felt it wiping slowly at the tea in his lap with the napkin. The daiyoukai felt his mouth run dry as Shiuchi's hand skirted over rather... _sensitive_ areas, and his hands clenched tightly around the arms of the chair as he struggled to get a hold of himself. He was sure the demon didn't mean to produce this kind of effect, but he certainly seemed like he knew what he was doing, which made Amatsu take a moment to control his breathing. He shouldn't be behaving this way, no matter how tempting Shiuchi appeared— No! He wasn't tempting! This was Shiuchi for crying out loud! His best friend! He had been purposely looking away from the demon, but at this revelation Amatsu forced his gaze downwards, intent on stopping the madness. However, the sight of Shiuchi staring pointedly between his legs, his lower lip slowly being pulled into his mouth as he bit it, only served to make the daiyoukai more aroused. His knuckles were beginning to turn white from how tight his hands were clenching, and his claws were gouging marks into the chair.

Shiuchi didn't know _why_ he was doing this. He was extremely nervous, adrenaline rushing through every pore; and he just couldn't stop _staring!_ Here he was, kneeling in between his lord's legs and touching him inappropriately— even if under innocent pretenses— and fuck if he wasn't enjoying it... but it was wrong! Extremely wrong! His hand was shaking, he knew, but he couldn't stop now. He had told Inuyasha he was going to do this, and he was going to give it his best shot.

Amatsu was shutting his mouth tightly, desperately trying to hold back any inappropriate noises. He was sitting rigidly still, and he was confused beyond belief. Why was Shiuchi having this effect on him? He looked down at the smaller demon once more, his eyes following his movements. Shiuchi placed the rag in his palm, opening his hand and pressing down rather hard on a spot that was just millimeters away from...! This needed to stop, Or else he wouldn't be held accountable for his actions.

"Sh-Shiuchi!" Amatsu squeaked as he began to shift around uncomfortably. (Though whether he wasn't trying to get farther away from Shiuchi or closer was debatable.) "I-It's fine, just—" The sentence was broken as Amatsu cried out, attempting to get his breathing under control. "You don't have to— _gods_—"

Shiuchi felt his face burning, knowing he was probably entirely red now. He heard Amatsu let out a soft gasp, drawing a whimper from the black-hared demon's mouth. He really shouldn't be enjoying this so much... not that he was enjoying it at all! His lap was already dry, so why didn't he stop?! He knew he should stop. Kami he was nervous. And he was so flustered, he was barely able to keep cleaning the daiyoukai, his hand slipping from the rag so many times he couldn't count. Which made him feel even more embarrassed as his bare hand touched the front of his lord's trousers. He didn't even know if his plan was _working_, and he refused to sneak a glance at Amatsu's face. He didn't think he would be able to handle it.

The daiyoukai was mortified when he felt his hips buck upwards slightly, the motion snapping him out of his dazed state. His eyes widened, and he immediately stood, surprising Shiuchi enough to knock him back onto the floor. He looked up at Amatsu, his fangs still gently nipping at his bottom lip, worry evident in his eyes. "M-My Lord?" He asked, sounding so vulnerable and innocent and just _Shiuchi._ Amatsu couldn't _take_ it anymore— and soon he found himself moving towards the door as fast as he could, forcing himself to run without looking back; his breathing sounding slightly hysterical. As soon as he was out of the library, he shut the door behind him. He took a moment to compose himself, unable to get Shiuchi's flustered face out of his mind. Unable to get thoughts of just what he could do with the fox demon's lithe body—

'Ah! No! Bad thoughts!'

'**Well it's not like he could say **_**no**_**...'**

'Who's side are you on?!'

As thoughts of the encounter didn't help his current predicament, he began breathing deeply, trying to forget all about the incredibly arousing demon that was _just_ beyond the door---

'Not helping.'

Amatsu forced himself to think of different things, _non_-exciting things, breathing deeply.

'Monks and dead children, monks and dead children...'

* * *

Shiuchi felt... odd. When Amatsu had stood, all but throwing him back, he had stared up into his lord's eyes, and he had _saw_ it.

The lust.

And Shiuchi didn't know whether to laugh or cry or simply act like nothing had happened. He decided on the latter, standing and forcing himself to calm down. And not send any lingering glances at the now soiled napkin, or the chair his lord had just been occupying. So Amatsu found him attractive— so what? It didn't mean anything in the long run. And Shiuchi repeated this several times in his head to soothe his labored breathing. He forced himself to stride over to the door, as he would normally, and took a mouthful of air before opening the door.

'Monks and dead children, monks and dead children...'

oOo

Amatsu started slightly, as he felt the library door begin to swing open. He jumped back, his eyes widening slightly as he saw Shiuchi stepping out. He looked slightly confused to see him.

"Erm... Amatsu?"

'Yes,' the daiyoukai thought, 'He _must_ be worried if he's calling me by my name.'

"Are you alright?"

Amatsu allowed a smirk to fall into place on his face, hoping that he looked normal. He took a step closer to Shiuchi, throwing an arm around his waist and pulling him closer as he began leading them somewhere.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said distractedly, trying to make the matter seem unimportant. "But hey, let's go out to the gardens! I'm not that hungry anyways..."

Shiuchi studied Amatsu's face closely, as they walked. He was a bit... 'distracted' by the arm around his waist, but he wouldn't let that get him out of sorts. Amatsu was lying, and Shiuchi knew it. He found himself fighting to hide a grin, as he awkwardly slipped an arm around Amatsu as well, allowing himself to delight in the way his lord trembled slightly before stiffening.

Amatsu had tortured him enough over the years, with all of his casual touches and easy smiles.

Well, Shiuchi decided, it was time for a little 'revenge'.

* * *

(**whiterice76** if you're reading this, I know! I think fluffy makes an adorable uke! Some people just don't understand. *shakes head*)

foxgirl: Alright, the challenge would be this. (cue drumroll) I was wondering if anyone would be interested in writing an Amatsu/Shiuchi pairing fic? Oneshot, of course. It could be whatever you like, as long as it uses those two characters. (...drumroll can stop now. ...thank you) Other guidelines:

**1. It can be AU, or in the universe from the story**

**2. If you want to do a multi-chaptered fic that's fine, but I can't imagine why you would. Save that story line for characters that other people actually know about! Don't waste it on meaningless (if not cute) OC's!**

**3. It can be pretty much anything-- but don't tell me your plot line! I want it to be a surprise!**

... so those weren't guidelines so much as telling you that you have full creative license. I thought that since no one else on the sight (unless they read magenta stripes) would know who they are, I could put the stories up as chapters when this whole thing is finished, giving full credit to the authors of course. I don't know, I just thought it be fun to see more Ama/Shi stuff, I just think they're so cute! Depending on how many people respond, I'll pick how many stories I'll use from that. If you _are_ interested, please send me a PM or a review, so that I know someone thought this interesting enough to indulge me. And if you have any questions or comments, feel free to PM me as well. I love PM's. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy. :D

Well enough about that, did you guys enjoy this chapter? I hope so... I thought they're was something missing, but my betas said it was fine. Ah well. Special thanks to **neenablugirl **and **Evelyn Dark** for their help!

Vixen: Oh god. It's not enough that you're forcing them to read YOUR crappy story, now you're commanding them to write one of their own? With _your_ characters?

Foxgirl: ... Review please. Why do you hate me so much?

Vixen: Why, it's my job, of course.


	13. In Which Chikotsu Decides To Take Action

foxgirl: Here is the edited chapter 13!

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: In Which Chikotsu Decides To Take Action, a.k.a.: Silver Moon

* * *

Chikotsu was sick of everything. All of it, and it had started as soon as she had seen the way Sesshomaru looked when Amatsu had kissed him back in Leiko's room. He appeared absolutely miserable, and Chikotsu couldn't stand it. And it was all her fault, and she wanted to do something. Currently, her father had called on her, wanting to know about the state of affairs. He wanted to know if his 'plan' had worked. And Chikotsu didn't know what she was going to tell him, but it certainly wouldn't be the truth. She was going to make _sure_ that Sesshomaru and Amatsu weren't mated, to make up for the horrible mess they were now all in. And she knew exactly how to do it. It was quite simple really; anyone with half a brain could see the way Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru. And Chikotsu was sure, if Sesshomaru weren't so damn phlegmatic, he would be giving his brother the same looks. _Half-_brother, she reminded herself. It seemed less... _wrong_ that way. Though there had been several instances where youkai families had mated with their siblings, Chikotsu couldn't for the life of her imagine doing the horizontal tango with Amatsu. She shuddered slightly, forcing the image out of her head. Back to business. Amatsu would just have to find happiness elsewhere— she was sure that Shintaro guy had a thing for him, they were always hanging out. Pity she couldn't remember his real name. But that didn't matter now. What did, was (what she called) operation 'Get Inuyasha And Sesshomaru Together So That Sesshomaru Doesn't End Up Miserable For the Rest of His Life And Amatsu Doesn't Feel Like A Horrible Person For Doing This To Him, And Also Find Out Shintaro's Real Name And See If He Was Available So That Amatsu Could Get With Him And Not Be Lonely And Miserable, And Find That Human That Had Been Traveling With Fluffy And Them And Kick Her Out of The Picture Because She Had Sent One Too Many Not So Subtle Glances Towards Inuyasha.'

'There!' Chikotsu thought to herself, humming merrily along. 'Simple enough.' Usually her plans ended up with exceedingly long and unnecessary titles. She was glad she had cut it down a bit with this one,

As Chikotsu reached the door that led to her parents' quarters, she plastered on a fake sympathetic look, tinged with just the right amount of nervousness to keep her father from suspecting anything. One wrong move could be fatal. She already knew that her plan was risky, and she didn't even want to _think_ about what would happen when her father found out what she had done, but that was in the future. And besides, who was to say that he'd even _know_ it had been Chikotsu? She'd just have to be extra sneaky on this operation, using all the cunning and cleverness foxes were naturally born with.

"And use to their greatest extent..." Chikotsu murmured to herself as she opened the door.

Her bare feet plodded over to the room she knew her father would be waiting in, muttering a polite word or two to her mother as they passed. Her parents had the largest rooms in the castle, though that was to be expected. It was decorated in a swarm of purple and red— the color of her mother's hair and her father's eyes respectively. Chikotsu ignored the beauty as she headed forward. The mistress of the castle simply gave her daughter a nod, watching as she disappeared into her husband's study.

"Father..." Chikotsu spoke when she had stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She felt his red eyes trained on her, and was cautious to stare directly at them. His expression was carefully arranged, a pleasant smile dangling from his lips even as his eyes attempted to pick her apart, searching for the truth held just behind her mouth. Chikotsu smoothed her hands down her kimono, telling herself to be calm. Operation 'Get Inuyasha and Sesshomaru Together So That Sesshomaru Doesn't End Up Miserable For the Rest of His Life and Amatsu Doesn't Feel Like A Horrible Person For Doing This To Him, and Also Find Out Shintaro's Real Name and See If He Was Available So That Amatsu Could Get With Him, and Not Be Lonely and Miserable and Find That Human That Had Been Traveling With Fluffy and Them and Kick Her Out of The Picture Because She Had Sent One Too Many Not So Subtle Glances Towards Inuyasha' would never work if she didn't get past the first step. So she met her father's gaze, keeping track of her face carefully.

"It didn't work." She said slowly, attempting to sound upset. Her father's eyes glinted, his smile faltering. "However, Sesshomaru _is_ at the castle now, so I will do my best to bring he and my brother closer together."

A pause.

He appeared to think the statement over for a moment, before lazily nodding.

"...Good." He spoke, his icy voice washing over his daughter as she fought her hardest not to react. She knew she was supposed to be afraid. "I'm counting on you, love."

Chikotsu nodded once, before turning.

It didn't bother her in the least that he was lying.

As soon as she was free of their chambers, Chikotsu began running down the hallway. She didn't quite know where to start, but she figured her brother would need more convincing than Sesshomaru would. Sesshomaru, after all, felt nothing for Amatsu. And Amatsu thought he was in love. This was... going to be decidedly harder than she had assumed. She sighed, picking up speed and racing down the corridors, dodging the servants who were in her way. As she passed a particular hall, a familiar scent wafted past her nose. She stopped abruptly, turning her head in that direction and smirking. Well, in any case, she had found her first target.

* * *

Inuyasha was a bit... dumbfounded by Shiuchi's words, but after he had gotten over the shock, he began walking again, intent on finding Kagome and getting out of this place. He had done a lot of thinking while he was flabbergasted, and decided that it would be for the best if he left. If, by some chance, Shiuchi _was _able to stop Sesshomaru and Amatsu from mating, (which he seriously doubted) who was to say Sesshomaru would automatically come running to him? What if Sesshomaru didn't even _want_ to be with him— what if he actually _liked _Amatsu? ...Okay, so he seriously doubted that as well, but the point was this: He didn't want to be here when Sesshomaru found out that he wasn't bound to Amatsu anymore, and left. Because that's always what his brother did— he left. He probably wouldn't even think to say goodbye, and Inuyasha didn't want to deal with it. He was going to stop this crazy charade once and for all, and then they could go back to hating each other.

His youkai roared within him, trying to force him to change his mind.

'**You're making a **_mistake_**, baka! How do **_you_** know what future mate feels?!'**

'I just _know_, alright! And besides...' Inuyasha faltered in his step, slightly, pausing for a moment. 'Sesshomaru wouldn't want a... a lowly half-breed like me.'

'_Idiot! _**He **_kissed_** you! What else could be so obvious?! You wouldn't believe it even if Sesshomaru came up to your face and **_told_** you he wanted you!'**

'You're the idiot! Sesshomaru kissed me; but I_ rejected _him_._ Even if he does... 'want me', he already thinks that I don't feel the same way.'

'**But—'**

'Shut up! We're getting Kagome, and _leaving_.'

His youkai howled with rage, but Inuyasha simply ignored it, following Kagome's scent.

He had told Sesshomaru that he was going to get something to eat but... he wasn't even hungry anymore.

* * *

Sesshomaru was really rethinking this whole 'living' thing. His life sucked. It really did. And it didn't help that that _annoying _woman had decided to _follow_ him, and she would not shut up about manners and being 'polite' and how to treat a lady, and it was ridiculous! Here he was, the great and powerful Lord Sesshomaru, being followed by a child (who wasn't even Rin!) and he was unable to do any harm to her, just because he did not want Inuyasha to be angry with him. Oh yes, if it weren't for that hanyou, the miko's head would be rolling across the floor. Sesshomaru felt his lips twitch up slightly at that mental image, before hearing Kagome gasp beside him.

"Sesshomaru you... were you _smiling_?!"

The daiyoukai scowled, his eyebrows lowering slightly, not even sparing her a glance.

"Foolish human. Your eyesight is as horrible as the words that won't stop coming out of your mouth."

Kagome harrumphed.

"Well I _never_—"

"Oh FLUUUUUUUUUFYYYY!!"

Sesshomaru walked faster.

Why, _why_ did these things always happen to him? If it wasn't one annoying female it was another. He could hear Chikotsu prancing down the hall to catch up with him, and he refused to damage his pride by running away, even though he _could_ outrun her if he wanted too. He was back to his full power, and he relished the feeling of his icy walls building their way back up to his standards.

"Where ya going Fluffy?"

The miko was struggling to keep up with the two demons, almost jogging down the hallway to walk by their sides.

"Anywhere that you aren't." He mumbled under his breath, increasing his speed slightly. He heard Chikotsu giggling, and almost rolled his eyes when he saw that she was skipping now.

"Hey— slow down!"

The two demons ignored Kagome's request; Chikotsu simply resumed speaking.

"Well Fluffy, I just wanted to let you know that the servants have placed some new attire for you in your room." She wrinkled her nose slightly, gesturing at the fire-rat kimono that he had pulled on without even thinking about it. "So you can get out of those... ratty clothes. They_reek _of half-demon."

Sesshomaru almost froze in his step, looking down at Inuyasha's garment. He had put it on again, not even realizing that he didn't need to wear it any longer. He found his brow crinkling slightly against his will, as he unconsciously tugged on his own sleeve lightly. They didn't _reek_. In fact, he liked to think that they smelled rather nice. The hanyou had a very intriguing scent, he found, and now that his youkai was back it had only gotten more pleasant to his sensitive nose. He... didn't really _want_ to—

Sesshomaru's eyes widened.

What was he _thinking!?_

'**So you're finally coming to terms with it.' **His youkai spoke, haughtily. **'Really Sesshy, I thought you would have figured it out sooner. You're usually very perceptive about things.'**

'What are you talking about?' He asked, forcing himself to stop fiddling with the strings from the robe of the fire-rat.

'**I'm speaking of our feelings for Inuyasha, of course. You will proceed with the mating soon, yes? We don't want Amatsu getting the wrong idea.'**

It took all of Sesshomaru's willpower not to just fall over when he heard his youkai's words. His throat closed up, and instead of letting out a graceless choking noise, he managed to fix the problem by simply letting out a small, 'ahem.' He _knew_ there was a reason why losing his powers hadn't sucked quite so much as it could have. Now that he was strong again, he had to deal with _this_ annoyance. It was a lose, lose situation.

'...Ex_cuse_ me?'

"Hey! Kagome!"

Sesshomaru almost groaned out loud. Not three, but _four_ things he didn't want to deal with right now.

Kagome turned at the hanyou's voice, a smile immediately gracing her features.

"Inuyasha! I've been looking for you—"

"Come on, we're leaving."

"I— wait, what?"

Inuyasha's eyes never strayed from Kagome's face. His expression was serious, arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked absolutely normal, if not a bit bored. Sesshomaru forced himself to keep face, forced himself to stay calm. He couldn't allow Inuyasha to know that he— well... just that he didn't want to be left in the castle with only Amatsu and the stupid one (Chikotsu) for company.

"Leaving so soon, little brother?"

Inuyasha glanced at Sesshomaru briefly, before shifting his weight and scoffing.

"Keh. It's not like I've got any other reason to stay."

'**Ooh. That hurt.'**

Sesshomaru ignored his youkai's comment, aware of the hurt expression that crossed his face for a moment. Realizing that he would be expected to respond, Sesshomaru simply glanced towards the direction he had been walking, attempting to make it seem as if he didn't particularly care. He tossed out an "I see," allowing a bit of boredom to show through the slight down turning of his lips. Expression was everything, he knew. And if he made the slightest mistake they would all know that he... well, he didn't want to think about it. But he recognized the feeling bubbling up inside of him for what it was, and it took all he had not to just glare at the hanyou and stomp away like an offended child. This was it? After what they had been through during this insane, sort of adventure? After he had finally admitted that he had been worried, after... everything? He was just going to leave? ...Of course he was. There wasn't anything between them (as much as Fluffy would deny wanting there to be), so he really _didn't_have any other reason to stay. It was obvious he wanted to get back to the rest of his humans, so he wouldn't have to take care of his older brother any longer. It was obvious he was thrilled that this whole thing was finally _over_ with, so he wouldn't have to put up with the daiyoukai's barbed comments and constant belittlement. And as much as Sesshomaru's youkai would claim to want otherwise, a fact was a fact. Inuyasha didn't want to be with him. The information that even if he did he couldn't because of Amatsu, was no longer relevant in Sesshomaru's reasoning, and as he thought more about this little revelation, the worse he felt.

'**... He... he doesn't mean it. He's lying. He's just scared...'**

Sesshomaru decided that, for once, he would listen to his urges. It was so hard to remain emotionless, now that he knew what it felt like to feel. Sesshomaru turned quickly so no one would notice the look in his eyes, continuing to walk down the hallway. He was going to find a way to circle back to his room. It shouldn't matter to him whether Inuyasha left or not, and everyone in that little group knew that. So he was just going to pretend like it didn't.

But honestly? Sesshomaru didn't particularly feel like pretending anymore.

Chikotsu was frantic. The stupid hanyou was going to ruin all of her plans, by leaving like that.

She couldn't allow it.

The fox demon barely noticed as Sesshomaru walked off, turning to Inuyasha and laying on the pout.

"Aw! Yasha-kun! But you guys _can't_ leave yet!"

Kagome looked over to her.

"Why not?"

Chikotsu grabbed the humans arm, pulling her down the hallway at speeds that she would never be able to reach on her own, hearing Inuyasha's irritated growl behind her. She was quickly forming a plan, one that was extremely far fetched— but it would work. Though, hopefully it wouldn't resort to that. But just in case...

"Because, you have yet to have dinner. I simply _can not_ allow you to leave without feeding you— that would be exceedingly rude!"

Kagome struggled to keep up with Chikotsu's pace, feeling as if her arm was about to be wrenched out of it's socket.

"Um, alright—"

Chikotsu stopped abruptly, leaving Kagome in front of her room.

"This is where you were staying, yes? Please wait here. A servant will come fetch you once the meal is served."

Kagome nodded slightly, giving Inuyasha a slightly desperate expression as she walked into the room, closing it behind her. Chikotsu turned towards the hanyou, bowing slightly.

"If you'll excuse me, Yasha-kun. I have some business to attend to. I trust you can find your room on your own?"

Inuyasha grumbled slightly, but said nothing as Chikotsu walked off. He frowned, turning away from Kagome's room with a sigh. Oh, well. It was just dinner. It couldn't last that long, and besides, who was _he_ to refuse free food?

oOo

Chikotsu hurried along to Leiko's room, glancing over her shoulder to be sure the hanyou wasn't following her. That wouldn't do at all. She almost felt desperate, since she was coming to Leiko for help, but she really needed this to work. If Amatsu and Sesshomaru were mated, _no one_ would be happy in the end, and because this was _her_ fault, she was going to do all in her power to prevent it. The only thing bringing her hesitation was the thought that it might not _work._ What if Sesshomaru and Inuyasha rejected each other? What if Fluffy's pride was too great, Inuyasha's arrogance too strong? She shook her head, willing herself not to jinx anything. Absentmindedly Chikotsu reached behind her neck, pulling up her hair and undoing the simple necklace she had been wearing, tucked into the folds of her kimono. A gift, from her brother, from long ago. Of course, she didn't want him to know that she actually _wore_ it. She slipped it into one of her billowing sleeves, ensuring that it was secure before focusing her eyes forward again.

Once she had reached the large doors, she knocked once, before letting herself in.

"Leiko?"

The old demon turned at the sound of her voice, a pleasant smile overtaking her face. The Healer's Room looked the same as she had last seen it, the Healer was spooning the liquid from her large cauldron into several vials.

"Lady Chikotsu? Why, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"

Chikotsu sighed, going over to sit on the table in the middle of the room, her ears drooping slightly.

"Leiko... I need your help."

* * *

"Look my lord! The roses are in bloom!"

Amatsu laughed as Shiuchi ran over to the flowers, kneeling in front of them as he studied their buds with his eyes. Amatsu walked over to him, sitting down in the grass beside him. Shuichi turned to glance at him, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"These are the ones _I_ planted!"

Amatsu nodded, studying the flowers as well. He felt slightly ridiculous for his earlier episode. Shiuchi was his _friend_! And— he clarified with another glance at the demon's smiling face— he was much too cute to be sexy. Amatsu removed his armor, deciding it would be too cumbersome to run around in, turning to Shiuchi with a malicious glint in his eyes.

"Shu-kun..."

Shiuchi turned towards him, his smile falling slightly when he noticed the look on his face.

"Eh, Lord Amatsu? What is—"

"You're it!"

Amatsu was up and running before Shiuchi could even begin to comprehend chasing him, sputtering as he watched the fox run off.

"A-Amatsu!"

Soon, the two were running around the gardens like mad, using their demonic speed to try and catch each other. Amatsu was undoubtedly faster, but Shiuchi made up for his lack in speed with his cunning. The space they were using was large, with plenty of room to run around in— meaning there were plenty of places to hide as well. The game grew more and more fierce as time passed, Amatsu going so far as to _tackle_ Shiuchi down so he could tag him. Which, of course, Shiuchi needed revenge. And he would get it. He just... wasn't sure how.

* * *

"Hmm... I see."

"So... will you help?"

"... My Lady... you understand that the consequences of these actions will be enormous."

"I know."

"...Fine then. But the barrier you're going to need will have to be extremely powerful, and easy to take down. Something that can only be broken by the original caster."

"What do you suggest?"

Silence.

"It goes against my better judgment but... try _this._"

* * *

Shiuchi laughed, tossing his head back as he ran. He couldn't remember the last time he had had fun like this. Lately his lord had been so wrapped up with trying to win over Sesshomaru, they hadn't gotten to spend much tie together. It was so much fun, in fact, that Shiuchi completely forgot that he was supposed to be seducing the daiyoukai.

As he was running around the small koi pond, trying to escape his pursuer, he cursed himself for getting distracted.

"Gotcha!"

Shiuchi cursed himself again as the not so gentle tag forced him over the edge and into the water.

He could hear Amatsu's laughter even before he surfaced, and as he spluttered angrily he threw himself out of the pond with enough force to launch himself at the daiyoukai. He heard Amatsu let out a strangled yelp as he hit his target, and they both fell to the ground, Shiuchi panting heavily with the exertion. He had managed to pin Amatsu down, straddling his waist as he tried to catch his breath, his hands resting lightly on the daiyoukai's stomach. Amatsu laughed a bit more, his eyes slowly opening as his mirth died down.

"Got you." Shiuchi mocked, smiling triumphantly at his momentary success.

"Hah!" Amatsu chuckled. "You may have won the battle, but you haven't won the w— ..." Amatsu's sentence trailed off as Shiuchi wriggled his hips, attempting to find a more comfortable position seated atop his lord. This caused Amatsu to realize exactly how they were positioned. He became acutely aware of this, oblivious as Shiuchi seemed. And _why_ was he moving around so much?! Surely it didn't take that long to get positioned—... and now he was just undoing himself with innuendoes. Amatsu forced out a shaky smirk, noticing as well that Shiuchi was dripping wet, trails of water dipping temptingly into his haori. It wasn't as easy as he had hoped to pretend that he _didn't_ want to lick off the drop of water sliding down his friend's neck. Amatsu cleared his throat, attempting to appear normal as he came to the startling revelation that _no one_ was too cute to be sexy. Unable to take it any longer, the daiyoukai's hands shot out, landing on Shiuchi's hips in an attempt to stop their moving.

Shiuchi looked down at him curiously, glancing at his hands.

"My lord?"

"The war." Amatsu finished, wondering how he got himself into these sorts of situations.

Shiuchi wasn't sure why the daiyoukai was grasping his hips (though he wasn't exactly complaining), but he did want him to let go. It appeared they were in a very... _suggestive_position, and thinking about it in those terms was making Shiuchi think _other_ dirty thoughts, and that was never good.

"Erm... Amatsu, if you could just let me go?"

Shiuchi wiggled his hips once more to emphasize his point, and missed the way Amatsu's breath sped up. The daiyoukai simply nodded, releasing Shiuchi and slipping out from under him, trying to not appear too awkward. As Shiuchi stood, a mischievous smirk found it's way onto his face, all thoughts of seduction flying out of his mind.

"Oh, my lord." He said innocently, watching as Amatsu turned towards him. "You seem to be completely dry. Let me fix that."

Amatsu blinked stupidly. He opened his mouth to retort, but soon found himself being shoved into the blameless koi pond next to him. He sat up quickly, gasping for air as indigo-colored strands of hair clung to his forehead. He found Shiuchi once the dripping in front of his line of vision cleared enough, sending the fox a half-hearted glare. His black-haired friend was laughing, laying down on the grass next to the pond as he attempted to control his amusement. Amatsu shook his head, climbing out of the water as a steady trail of droplets streamed from his soaking form. He looked to Shiuchi's face, finding a contented smile there.

"Consider that payback."

* * *

Chikotsu was at a loss. She didn't understand _why _Inuyasha suddenly wanted to leave in the first place. She was sure it had _something_ to do with Sesshomaru. The only other idea she had was to suppress Sesshomaru's youkai once more, but that wouldn't make any sense. Not to mention it probably wouldn't work. Absentmindedly she fingered the small object Leiko had given her, it being hidden safely inside her kimono. She fisted her hands into her hair, rawring (no, she was not roaring) in frustration.

"Rawr!" (See? Told you.)

This plan... well, to put it simply, it was ridiculous. And she realized this. Which was half the reason why she didn't want to go through with it in the first place. But... it seemed like it was her only choice. And, if anything, it was worth a try. She took a deep breath, calming herself as she knocked on Inuyasha's door. She flexed her fingers as she waited, willing herself not to look nervous.

Soon enough, the hanyou answered, his head poking out of the now opened doorway. A scowl adorned his features, his arms crossed angrily.

"'Bout time." He grumbled.

Chikotsu flashed him a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Yes, Yasha-kun. After dinner, you will be free to leave whenever your little heart desires.

Inuyasha blinked.

That had been... easier than expected. There had to be a catch.

"Oh!"

And here it came.

"But, could you give this to Sesshomaru? He left it in the Healer's room after being treated. Must've forgotten it." Chikotsu dug around in the sleeve of her kimono for a moment, before producing a simple necklace, the pendant being a silver crescent moon.

Inuyasha blinked.

"Uh... sure... yeah. I have to go get something from him anyways."

Chikotsu smiled. She resisted the urge to laugh evilly as she turned, continuing down the hallway.

"I shall take the miko and we will hurry ahead to dinner— don't be long!" Chikotsu kept a steady pace, letting out a sigh of relief at how well that had went. And as she looked up, a mischievous smirk spread across her face. Oh, she was too much for even _herself_ sometimes. What cunning! What brilliance! She turned, noticing that Inuyasha had begun going the opposite direction towards his brother's room. And, silently and sneaky as a fox (pun intended), she crept along after him, careful to not let her presence be found.

oOo

Inuyasha eyed the necklace curiously. It certainly _seemed_ like something Sesshomaru would wear, if the moon was any indication. He just couldn't picture Sesshomaru wearing a necklace. Or any accessories whatsoever, for that matter. It had been a shock to see him with that flower in his hair, after Rin had picked it for him. The hanyou shrugged, figuring that it wasn't any of his business what the daiyoukai did and did not wear.

He slowed once he reached Sesshomaru's room, smelling his brother on the other side.

This... would be it.

After this, he would say goodbye to Sesshomaru, except for the occasional battle with Naraku. Since the daiyoukai was officially one of their 'allies' or whatever, they wouldn't be fighting any more. Which meant he would probably be seeing a lot less of him. He told himself he wasn't upset about this.

'**Yeah, right.'**

'Oh, who asked you!?'

Inuyasha knocked.

Inuyasha knocked again.

Inuyasha knocked a third time.

Inuyasha knocked once more.

Inuyasha knocked another five times.

Inuyasha knocked to the beat of a song he had heard Kagome humming once.

Inuyasha knocked while questioning why he did above actions.

Inuyasha knocked while seriously questioning his sanity.

Inuyasha knocked whilst deciding he was sane, but in serious need of some mental help.

Inuyasha was getting tired of knocking.

He irritably swung open the door, finding Sesshomaru draped calmly over the bed, on top of the sheets. His hair was framed around him in a silver halo, the robe of the fire-rat sitting in a neatly folded pile atop Sesshomaru's two swords. He was now wearing different clothing, the hues of blues and silver suiting his regal features. He was laying slightly crooked, and one of his legs threatened to fall off the bed as it hung precariously close to the edge. His expression appeared normal, and he masked the torment in his eyes as he registered the door opening. The daiyoukai looked over to him, one eyebrow raising elegantly. Inuyasha, ignoring how absolutely _delectable_ Sesshomaru looked, scowled, instinctively shutting the door behind him. There was silence for a few moments, before Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.

"Baka! Why didn't you open the door?!"

"...You obviously cannot take a hint, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Just take your damn necklace so I can leave."

Sesshomaru didn't even bat an eyelash, not bothering to move from his comfy spot on the bed. He was sulking, and he wanted to be _alone_, dammit!

"Necklace?" He questioned, turning his head slightly.

Inuyasha stalked closer, telling himself it was only to give the accessory to his brother.

"Yes. Necklace. You left it in the healers."

He held out said piece of jewelry, the silver moon glinting from an unknown source of light. It was a beautiful necklace, Sesshomaru admitted, but swords were really more his thing.

"I've never seen that in my life." The daiyoukai said truthfully.

Inuyasha's face twisted into an expression of confusion.

"Then... what—"

The hanyou was cut off, however, by a sound that startled the two inu brothers. Inuyasha's eyes widened comically while Sesshomaru remained frozen, as if he didn't quite believe his ears. No one would dare— but it appeared someone had. It was like something that would happen in a bad fanfiction, one of those awful clichés that people usually just click past as they're browsing summaries. It was so unlikely, that the two demons almost wrote it off as a trick of the ears. But it wasn't imagined. Right as Inuyasha was talking, the sound of a door locking rung throughout the room.

"Wha... what?"

Inuyasha walked over to the door, trying the handle. Needless to say, it didn't budge. The hanyou scowled momentarily, before a malicious glint crossed his eyes, and he drew Tetsaisga. Sesshomaru studied him in a bored fashion, knowing what was coming next.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

"Well you're not, so shut up!" Inuyasha retorted. He swung the sword back, bringing it down in a mighty crash upon the door. A split second before it hit, a brief, pink light flashed, magic crackling as Inuyasha struck a barrier. He stumbled back a little at the force of the blow, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"....Somebody... somebody put a barrier... around your room."

"...Yes, it would appear so."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...WHAT THE HELL!?"

Chikotsu giggled, pulling away from the door. Oh yes, her plan was going nicely. She had to hurry though. She didn't have much time before dinner actually _did_ start, and she needed to find Amatsu and Shiuchi. Yes, Leiko seemed to know the kitchen boy, and kindly informed her of his real name.

"I'll use the red Tetsusaiga!"

"Idiot. The repercussions would destroy the whole room."

"So what?! This ain't my castle!"

"They would destroy us as well... or at least injure us in some way."

"...Oh."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...ADAMENT BARRA—"

"Don't even think about it, half-breed."

"Damn."

* * *

Foxgirl: There! Thank you to **neenablugirl** and **Evelyn Dark** for helping with this. Next chapter coming in about thirty minutes...


	14. Scars

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Scars (By Far, the Shortest Title)

* * *

"Well don't just lie there, help me!"

Sesshomaru sat up, sitting on the edge of the bed with a bored look on his face.

"It's useless, Inuyasha. If I'm correct, this is Chikotsu's doing, meaning we'll just have to stay here until she decides to let us out."

Inuyasha growled, sheathing Tetsusaiga and turning to face the daiyoukai.

"I can't believe this." He muttered under his breath, crossing his arms. He looked at the floor, scowling and cursing his bad luck. Sesshomaru was the _last _person he wanted to be locked in a room with. He was supposed to be _avoiding_ the daiyoukai, not spending 'alone time' with him!

'**This is the perfect opportunity to confess our feelings to future mate!'**

'Go away! He's _not_ my future mate!'

'**..._You_** **tell him. Or _I_** **will.'**

'You wouldn't dare.'

His youkai didn't respond, filling Inuyasha with a sense of dread. Attempting to distract himself, he spotted his fire-rat robe, snatching it and tossing it on, retying his obi securely until everything was fixed the way he liked it. He nodded his head once, before looking off into space. It felt good to be wearing the garment once more. He tilted his head down discretely, taking a tentative sniff of the fabric.

Yep.

Smelled just like Sesshomaru.

The two inu demons sat in silence for a moment, before Inuyasha simply couldn't take it any longer. _Something_ had to be said or he was going to go insane.

"So..." He began, looking upwards. "Looking forward to your 'mating' with that fox bastard?"

Inuyasha smirked as Sesshomaru grimaced. The daiyoukai forced himself not to grit his teeth.

"...Do... _not_ speak of my... future mate in such a manner, half-breed." He finally ground out.

Inuyasha's smirk grew.

"I don't know how you can stand him."

Sesshomaru's stare grew darker as he struggled to control himself. He would _not_ allow this hanyou to get the better of him.

"I can't. So kindly refrain from speaking of our bonding."

Inuyasha's smile slowly fell from his face.

"If you don't want to become his... mate, then it's simple: don't."

Sesshomaru's lips pursed in annoyance, his eyes rolling skyward for a moment. Only a moment.

"It is not as 'simple' as you think it to be, little brother."

Inuyasha snorted.

"And _I_ think you're making it more complicated than it needs to be."

Sesshomaru scoffed.

"You do not understand hanyou."

Inuyasha suddenly felt very angry. He could feel his youkai fighting for control, the demon within him struggling to get out. He stormed over to the daiyoukai grabbing his arm with a speed he hadn't thought he possessed.

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, his mood quickly turning from 'annoyed', to 'enraged'. How _dare_ that half-breed try and put his hands on him.

"And what don't I 'understand'?!"

Sesshomaru took his arm away from the hanyou, ignoring the way his insides had twisted at his touch. Inuyasha wasn't making any sense. The half-breed took another step towards him, his face betraying his feelings of frustration. The amber eyes were rimmed with red, proof that he wasn't completely himself.

"What do you want from me, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked coldly, staring coolly up at his little brother. It was a bit odd, but Sesshomaru knew he didn't need to stand to produce fear in others. He could be intimidating sitting on the bed if he damn well pleased.

Said half-demon curled his hands into fists, aggravated by the way this was going. Why was he acting like this? Did he have no _control_ over himself? He knew Sesshomaru was probably just as confused as he was, but what was he supposed to say?

"Dammit! I want..."

Inuyasha clenched his teeth, angry with himself for being so weak.

"I want **you**!"

Sesshomaru sat, dumbfounded.

"...What?"

Inuyasha growled, stomping angrily towards the daiyoukai. Sesshomaru appeared frozen, his brows slightly raised. Once the hanyou was close enough he reached up his hands, tugging at the back of his platinum locks to bring him closer. Sesshomaru was too shocked to resist, his eyes widening slightly when Inuyasha's mouth firmly latched onto his. The lip lock was fierce, passionate, and Sesshomaru found he couldn't deny the tongue that demanded entrance into his mouth. A whimper escaped the back of his throat, his eyes struggling to stay open as Inuyasha deepened the kiss. What exactly was going on? ...And more importantly, why wasn't he stopping it?! He felt fangs nipping at his bottom lip, eliciting a small gasp. Hearing himself sound so _weak_, the daiyoukai regained a bit of his senses. He shook his head to break the contact, giving the half-breed the best 'Sesshomaru glare' he could muster at the moment, attempting to look intimidating with his slightly swollen lips and mussed hair.

"What do you think—"

Sesshomaru was cut off once more as Inuyasha came forward again, pressing chaste kisses to Sesshomaru's exposed neck as his hands ran down his lean torso. He was pushed back onto the bed, Inuyasha looming over him as he quickly followed. The daiyoukai heard a shuddering breath escape his mouth, cursing himself for allowing this. He wasn't aware of his arms lightly resting on Inuyasha's back, his head tipping back slightly to allow the hanyou more access.

"**I want you**..." The hanyou admitted again, his breath hot on the daiyoukai's neck. "**You can't mate with Amatsu**."

Inuyasha's voice was too husky; too rough. This was his youkai speaking, he knew, and Sesshomaru wasn't willing to give in so easily, even as he felt his back arch off the bed. He was barely conscious of his own actions. He _was_, however, acutely aware of Inuyasha's, and he shivered as he felt arms going around him, pulling his body flush against the hanyou's. His hands slid down to rest at the half-demon's waist.

"Is that an order, Inuyasha?" He asked, forcing his voice to come out cool and uncaring.

Inuyasha suddenly looked up, startling Sesshomaru as he stared into now pure amber eyes.

"Yes."

Inuyasha appeared in control once more, his stare sweeping over the slightly flustered look the daiyoukai was now sporting. His breathing was the slightest bit irregular, mouth open slightly as he took in breaths. A strand of hair rested lightly on Sesshomaru's cheeks, and Inuyasha resisted the urge to brush it off. Sesshomaru was the first one to regain his senses, turning his head away to stare at the wall. Inuyasha looked down, blushing at the daiyoukai's closeness. He could feel hands at his sides, the appendages sending a pleasant tingling feeling up his spine. He could vaguely recall getting into this position, but... just what exactly was his youkai hoping to accomplish?

Both of them started at the sound of a door unlocking.

oOo

Shiuchi gasped suddenly, sitting up from the position he had been laying in.

Right.

Seduction.

He turned, sending a quick glance to Amatsu, who was now staring up at him curiously. They had been lying in the grass in the gardens, drying out their clothes and resting their exhausted bodies, while looking up at the clouds. Rather peaceful, if you asked him. And to the fox demon's delight, Amatsu hadn't _once_ mentioned Sesshomaru. Shiuchi had forgotten all about his plans (well, to be fair, Inuyasha's), and he realized he didn't have much time left. He lay back down, attempting to appear normal.

Crap! Where did he even begin?

"Shu-kun? You alright?"

Shiuchi turned his head towards the daiyoukai, smiling in what he hoped to be a reassuring manner.

"Yeah, I just... remembered something, that's all."

It was Amatsu's turn to sit up now, resting one arm on a bent knee.

"Oh. Was it important?"

Shiuchi raised himself as well, crossing his legs. His smile was becoming strained, as he tried to think of things that could be considered seductive while considering how to answer.

"Well, it depends on how you look at things..." He mumbled under his breath, absentmindedly biting his bottom lip gently.

Amatsu quirked his head to the side, pointedly ignoring the fox demon's mouth.

"What was that?"

Shiuchi shook his head.

"Nothing my lord."

The daiyoukai frowned. He reached an arm out, lightly pushing on Shiuchi's upper arm.

"Hey, what's with you? You got all serious all of a sudden."

"Nothings with me'." Shiuchi shot back, finding that he had no idea where to go from here. He pushed the daiyoukai in return, his fist lightly punching at Amatsu's shoulder. The fox demon chuckled, shoving him once more. Shiuchi mock glared at him, rising to his knees and putting a bit more force into his returning blow. This time Amatsu laughed, grasping Shiuchi's hand and pulling him close. Shiuchi gasped as he was pulled in towards the daiyoukai, and he could feel his lord's breath against his lips for a moment before he was being pinned to the ground. Shiuchi bit his lip, squirming underneath him.

"M-my Lord? What're you— hah!"

The fox demon found his eyes squinting shut as he felt fingers at his sides, tickling him mercilessly.

"Haha! Amatsu! S-stop!"

Amatsu laughed at the mirth he saw in his eyes.

"There! You gotta lighten up."

The daiyoukai squeezed up and down his torso a bit longer, delighting in the way the fox demon's lips curved up into his wonderful smile. He relented the attack after a bit, allowing the youkai some time to breathe. Shiuchi let out a few more chuckles, before he opened his eyes, his vision blurred slightly by the joyful tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"Heh, heh... surprise attacks aren't fair."

Amatsu laughed, reaching a hand up to brush away the drops of moisture beginning to fall down his cheeks. Shiuchi told himself not to read too much into the tender gesture, forcing his heart to stop fluttering.

"Hmm. Since when was I ever fair?"

Shiuchi smiled up at the daiyoukai, his eyes suddenly gaining a mischievous twinkle.

"...Are _you_ ticklish, my lord?"

Amatsu let out a laugh, suddenly fearing for his pride.

"Hah, hah! Aheh— no."

The daiyoukai was suddenly assaulted, Shiuchi's fingertips probing at his sides as he attempted to get him to laugh. Amatsu squirmed out of Shiuchi's grip, climbing off of the youkai and trying to dash away. Shiuchi grabbed a hold of him, letting out an exclamation of surprise as Amatsu pulled him up as well. The extra weight was enough to throw off Amatsu's balance, and he held more tightly onto Shiuchi as they fell over... again. Amatsu let out a slight 'oof!' as Shiuchi landed heavily on top of him.

The black-haired demon winced as he sat up, reaching behind his head to rub the spot where Amatsu's chin had knocked against it painfully. He glared down at the daiyoukai, lightly flicking his nose.

"You must really like me being on top, my lord."

The statement was said flatly, as Shiuchi was joking; but it still forced Amatsu to hold back a blush. He felt his cheeks burning, covering it up by bringing one hand up to place on his forehead dramatically.

"Oh, Shu-kun, you wound me. I try to save you from a potentially life-threatening fate, and all you do is insult me."

Shiuchi snorted, settling himself more comfortably over Amatsu's hips.

"Yeah, right."

And suddenly Shiuchi was struck with inspiration.

He decided that now would be the _perfect_ time to test his newfound 'power' over Amatsu, seeing as the daiyoukai obviously didn't suspect a thing, and he was running out of ideas. So Shiuchi pretended to mock roll his eyes (yes, it even confused him), and kind of accidentally on purpose twisted his hips, grounding them down onto Amatsu intentionally but not really. At least, that was how he justified it. He heard Amatsu let out a sound between a sigh and an exclamation of surprise. The black-haired youkai looked down, his brows scrunching in confusion. As if he didn't know just why he had made such a noise.

"My lord?"

Amatsu let out a shaky laugh, his cheeks staining a slight red color.

Shiuchi made a show of leaning towards the daiyoukai, merely by coincidence rubbing against him once more. This time Amatsu gasped shakily, raising his hand to wipe a few strands of his own indigo hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah?" Amatsu finally replied, sounding amazingly put together. He answered the question he knew was undoubtedly going to come next. "Uh— I'm fine." Amatsu's eyes closed tightly, as if he were trying to control himself.

Shiuchi bit his lip unconsciously, tilting his head to the side. Oh, he knew _exactly_ what was bothering the daiyoukai. And Shiuchi found himself enjoying his revenge very much.

"Am I too much for you?" He all but purred, splaying his hands on the daiyoukai's chest. Amatsu's eyes snapped open, widening as they snapped up to meet Shiuchi's stare.

"_What_?!"

Shiuchi looked at him innocently, resisting the urge to laugh. He furrowed his brows once more, looking like he didn't quite understand what was wrong.

"Is my weight bothering you? Am I too heavy?" He reiterated.

Amatsu let out a shaky sigh as he relaxed, his eyes closing once more.

For a moment, he could've _sworn_ Shiuchi had said... but no, that would be silly. He felt the demon moving around on top of him again, and bit the inside of his cheek. Really, didn't the little fox know how to stay _still?! _This was the second time this had happened... oh Kami did he even realize what he was doing? Amatsu felt Shiuchi's delectable little bottom wriggle over him once more, and forced his mind to think of other things. Like... food. Yes, he was actually quite hungry now. Focus on that. A big, heaping plate of meat, with a side dish of rice, followed by a second helping of Shiuchi, all put together on a little— what?! Amatsu sat up quickly, shaking his head fiercely as he filled it with thoughts of his silver-haired soon to be mate. _Sess-sho-mar-u._ He was _not _becoming aroused because of his friend— of sweet, innocent Shiuchi. (Sweet and innocent. Pft.)

"M-my lord?"

Amatsu's eyes opened at the stutter in the black-haired youkai's voice, and he registered how close he was to the fox demon now that he had changed their position, as Shiuchi hadn't moved from his lap. He appeared quite flustered, his hands still innocently resting on Amatsu's chest. The daiyoukai threw on a smile, sighing lightly. He really _was_ starving.

"Come on, get up." He commanded, shifting his hips upwards so the demon would move.

Amatsu registered Shiuchi's face turning red, as a breathy moan tumbled past his lips. Then the demon was practically throwing himself backwards, scrambling over his legs to get off the daiyoukai. Amatsu tilted his head to the side, standing while he watched Shiuchi raise a trembling hand to run it through his hair. The daiyoukai walked the short distance over to him, leaning down to help him stand by lightly grabbing a hold of his hips. He felt Shiuchi squirm in his grip, so he tightened his hold, pulling him up with a little more force. Once he was on his feet once more, he released the demon, looking at him curiously. That was... odd.

"You alright?"

Shiuchi nodded, worrying his lip between his teeth. Oh Kami it wasn't _fair!_ Amatsu had such an effect on him... he had forgotten that he played this game too— and the daiyoukai was much more skilled than he was. But Amatsu didn't even _know_ what he did to him... he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, eventually smiling up at his lord.

"Yes, I'm fine. You just— ah, startled me."

Amatsu nodded, accepting his answer. He turned, beginning to walk back towards the doors.

"Come on, Shu-kun!" He called, moving slow so the fox demon could catch up. Once Shiuchi was walking beside him once more, he smiled. "It's about time for dinner. I want to eat with Sesshomaru, seeing as he hasn't left yet. Perhaps I can persuade him to stay until we've been mated and bonded."

Shiuchi nodded, glancing up at the sky before they went back indoors. Well, there went his Sesshomaru-free time with Amatsu...

"Yes... I should go back to the kitchens now to help with the preparations."

Amatsu tilted his head a bit, frowning.

"Oh, can't you eat with us just this once?"

"Amatsu-sama, I'm a servant here. I don't want you giving me special treatment because of our relationship." Shiuchi paused for a moment; his face coloring at what the words he had spoke implied. "As friends." He hurriedly added on, correcting himself quickly. Amatsu only nodded, not seeming to notice the slip up.

"Alright. I trust you'll be serving my plate?"

"...My lord, I know it's been a while since you took your meals with everyone else in the dining hall, but when have I ever _not_ given you your plate?"

The daiyoukai grinned, leaning down towards the smaller fox demon and rewarding his cheekiness with a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah okay, smart guy. I'll see you at dinner."

With that, Amatsu hurried off to the rooms he knew Sesshomaru to be staying in, leaving an extremely flustered Shiuchi behind, touching the place Amatsu's lips had touched his flesh gently. He began to ramble, whispering under his breath as he attempted to get a grasp on what had just happened.

"Kiss.... my.... he... ...kiss..."

'**Snap out of it! It was a freakin' kiss on the cheek!'**

Shiuchi shook his head, forcing his hand to lower. It took all his strength to bring his mind back into focus, and once he was able to think coherent thoughts again, Shiuchi turned and walked to the dining hall, a bounce in his step and a smile on his face. A little voice in the back of his head, one that did _not_ belong to his youkai, was saying that he shouldn't be so happy, seeing as nothing had changed. Well, what was he going to do? A guy could dream, couldn't he? Shiuchi resisted the urge to just full out _skip_, his cheek still pleasantly tingling from the sensation of his love's lips.

Amatsu, was not so happy.

'What the HELL was that?!'

'I don't know!' Irrational Amatsu replied in his head, wringing its hands nervously. That is, it would be if it had a physical form. We'll call him Ama.

'_I_ know.' Calm Amatsu said, coolly inspecting it's fingernails for imperfections. 'You just kissed Shiuchi. Meaning that you have been unfaithful to Sesshomaru.' His name shall now be Tsu.

'But it was just a kiss on the cheek!' Ama wailed, fisting his hands in his hair.

'There's only one way to set this right. You know what you have to do. Before you are tempted to commit another un-pure act.' Tsu reasoned.

'...You're right.'

'**_You're_** **crazy.'** Amatsu's youkai kindly informed him, effectively popping his little dream bubble.

'Who asked you!?'

'**You're _talking_** **to yourself. You even _gave them names_****.'**

'...'

'**Yeah. Crazy.'**

"AMMAAAAAAAAATSU!"

Amatsu welcomed the relief his sister would bring to his thoughts.

"Hey, Chikotsu." He greeted, not slowing his pace or stopping. She seemed almost desperate, jumping in front of him to keep him from moving forward.

"Hey!" She said between attempts, waving her hands in front of his face. "What's up? Where ya going?"

Amatsu waved her away, eying her curiously with red eyes.

"To Sesshomaru's room. Dinner will be starting soon, and I wanted to escort him to the—"

"No need!" She hastily explained, as they stopped in front of said daiyoukai's door. "I can get him, you just go on ahead!"

Right about now, Chikotsu was cursing her rotten luck. She had looked _everywhere_ for her brother— or at least she had _thought_ she had, only to see him walking inside from the gardens. Of course, finding him then meant she was able to witness his sudden kiss with Shiuchi, which made her bounce for joy for all of two seconds. From the euphoric expression on Shiuchi's face, he was absolutely smitten with her brother, though Amatsu himself didn't seem to realize it. All of this was irrelevant, however, as Amatsu was about to barge into Fluffy's room, only to discover the barrier, which meant he would figure out it was her, which meant he would see Inuyasha in there, which meant he would go berserk, which meant he wouldn't talk to her for at _least_ two months.

"Oh, nonsense." Amatsu said. "I'm already here anyway."

As he raised a hand to knock, Chikotsu hurriedly took down the barrier, ripping apart the talisman she had possessed just as her brother's knuckles collided with the wood.

* * *

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's eyes met, briefly, before Inuyasha found himself halfway across the room, hitting the wall with unnecessary force. He winced in pain as he fell to the ground, shooting a glare at his brother, who was already standing, appearing completely normal.

The handle turned, revealing Chikotsu standing there with a sheepish look painting her face.

"Hey guys! Oh! Inuyasha, what ever are you doing in Sesshomaru, Amatsu's mate's room? Because _I_ certainly did not lock you in here. Nope."

Both the inu demons blinked, Sesshomaru understanding why she was talking like that once he saw Amatsu step inside the room from behind her. He took in Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's appearance, glancing between them once, suspiciously, before a smile (read: smirk) graced his lips.

"I just came to inform my Fluffy that dinner was ready." He said, absentmindedly ghosting a hand over his stomach. He was starving now, as he hadn't eaten when his meal had been brought to him. He ordinarily didn't enjoy eating in the dining hall, but he had no choice, seeing as he had rejected the food brought to him before. It wasn't _his_ fault he had been... distracted.

Sesshomaru nodded, unable to meet Amatsu's eyes. He stared somewhere just above his left eyebrow, knowing the other daiyoukai wouldn't notice. He felt oddly... guilty. Which was highly unusual for him. And he couldn't help but wonder... what would have happened, had Amatsu not come? He sneaked a glance over to the hanyou, gasping softly when he saw the amber eyes were already watching him. Inuyasha was staring at him with an unreadable expression, his eyes betraying the turmoil hidden behind his seemingly perfect mask. Sesshomaru pointedly looked towards the door, moving a few stray locks of hair over his shoulder.

"Well, let us eat."

* * *

Kagome gaped at the size of the dining hall. Servants were already placing meals at a low table, several servers kneeling beside places for whenever anyone needed help. Kagome noticed the servant that Amatsu seemed friendly with as well. Everything was decorated beautifully, and she couldn't help but gawk at how wonderful everything looked. She looked down at Kirara, smiling happily at her. She had left the two-tailed cat in her room when she had gone to find Inuyasha, but figured she was probably hungry by now as well. (Alright. Raise your hand if you forgot about Kirara. (U-_- I'm guilty as charged...)) Amatsu and Chikotsu led their small group to their seats, the order being frighteningly predictable. Amatsu sat next to Sesshomaru, while Chikotsu sat next to Kagome on another side of the table, leaving the space next to Inuyasha empty.

"Our parents rarely dine with us anymore..." Chikotsu said cheerfully, as they began to eat. "So it looks like it'll just be us kids! ...And— uh, cat!"

Sesshomaru snorted lightly at the term, gracefully eating the meal set before him.

Amatsu turned to his side, flashing a smile at his server. Shiuchi, in turn, blushed, bowing his head to hide the red on his face and pouring his lord some sake.

Conversation was nonstop between the odd group— mostly (okay, mainly) due to Chikotsu. Though Kagome felt grateful for her presence, as she was sure this whole ordeal would be a lot more awkward if she wasn't there.

"Hey, big brother! Have you shown Fluffy-sama the garden yet?"

Sesshomaru sighed at the demeaning nickname. Well. At least she used an honorific that time...

"Oh! You have a garden?" Kagome responded, her eyes twinkling. "Oh Sesshomaru, Rin would love that!"

Amatsu quirked an eyebrow. "Who is this, Rin?"

Inuyasha snorted, practically inhaling his food. He looked over to his brother, a smug smirk fixed onto his face. "You mean you haven't _told_ him about the baggage that comes with 'making you his'?"

Sesshomaru silenced him with a glare, before turning towards Amatsu. "Rin is.... my charge. She has been traveling with me after I saved her life, and she _will_ be kept around after the mating ceremony." Sesshomaru's tone made clear there was no room for argument.

Inuyasha placed his arms in his sleeves. "Yeah, ya forgot to mention that Rin is _human_."

Sesshomaru sent him another smoldering glare, resisting the urge to maim the half-breed.

"...A human?"

Sesshomaru turned towards Amatsu, wondering how he would react. It didn't really matter in any case, as he would not allow Rin to simply be cast aside to some human village without him.

"...Aw, Fluffy. You're so _adorable_!"

Chikotsu almost spit out her sake at that line, coughing repeatedly to clear her throat. Sesshomaru was definitely _not_ adorable. At least, not in her book. Drop dead sexy, maybe, but not adorable. Though, he wasn't exactly on her radar...

Sesshomaru had a similar reaction, though his was much more dignified. The corners of his mouth turned down slightly, one eyebrow arching the slightest bit.

"...Adorable?"

"Alright, we can keep her. She'll be like our pup until we get around to getting some of our own." (fyi, there shall be NO male pregnancy in this Fanfiction. Ever. At all.)

Now it was Inuyasha's turn to choke.

"Oh, that reminds me." Amatsu stood cleared his throat, even though he already had everyone's attention. "I have an announcement to make." He looked around the table, drawing out the suspense a bit longer. "Due to... unforeseen circumstances, I have news concerning me and Sesshomaru's mating."

The inu-daiyoukai could just sense that something bad was about to happen.

"The ceremony shall now take place, tomorrow!"

Inuyasha inhaled sharply, the food he had been chewing getting lodged in his throat, causing him to cough loudly. Chikotsu spit out her rice, barely noticing the disgusted look Kagome bore as she realized it had landed all over her face. Shiuchi, who hadn't even been eating, curiously began coughing as well, presumably choking on air. And Sesshomaru almost went into a fit of hysterics, forcing his left eye to stop twitching as he calmly took a drink. Kirara mewed curiously.

"Isn't it great?!" Amatsu continued, seemingly oblivious to all that was going on around him. Only Kagome seemed confused about everyone's reactions, looking about them as if she had missed something. Which she had.

'There!' Ama cried happily inside Amatsu's head. 'Now we shall no longer have to deal with being tempted by a completely non-sexy Shu-kun!'

'Speaking of Shu-kun,' Tsu provided helpfully, 'Where did he go?'

Amatsu turned, noticing that Shiuchi _was_ gone.

"Huh?"

Sesshomaru stood up then, looking a bit paler than normal. He began walking away from the table at his normal calm saunter, but anyone who knew what to look for could tell Sesshomaru was upset.

"Fluffy?" Amatsu called, worry edging into his tone. Was it something he said? Was Sesshomaru... maybe not ready to...?

"That's wonderful Amatsu. Excuse me, I seem to have lost my appetite."

The fox-daiyoukai warily nodded, watching Sesshomaru leave with concern apparent in his eyes. What was wrong with Fluffy? Could it be that... he... he didn't want to...—! No! That couldn't be it.

Amatsu shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

'He's just not hungry anymore, just like he said.' He convinced himself, taking another bite of his food.

'...'

* * *

Shiuchi splashed his face with some water, bowing his head against his knees as he took in a breath. He didn't know _why _he had been so startled by Amatsu's announcement; he had known they were going to be mated soon anyways. But after he had heard that... he had immediately sneaked out back into the gardens, kneeling next to the koi pond in an attempt to calm himself down. The time he had spent with his lord all seemed like a dream now, and he knew it might as well have been. _Nothing_ was going to persuade Amatsu otherwise, not when he was so blinded by his affections for the inu lord; though it was blatantly obvious that he didn't feel as strongly for him as he did. He sighed, standing as he swiped a hand over his dripping features. He would need to go back now, before Amatsu began wondering where he was. He didn't want to think too much about this, because the end results were always going to be the same. And Shiuchi walked back towards the dining hall, feeling his heart finally crack in two from all the strain.

* * *

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of his room, his face as impassive as ever. He wasn't quite sure what was wrong with him. He _knew_ that this was going to happen. In fact, he had _told_ Amatsu that he was going to become his mate. It was just... he had been surprised. He had assumed that he would have more _time_ before— ... well, he just needed a few moments to think. So he stood there, his thoughts growing muddled as they bounced around in his head, a slight frown tugging at his face.

'**We have to stop this. Amatsu is _not_** **who we should be bound to.'**

'Stop your babbling. Amatsu is the most practical choice for the future...'

'**He cannot make us happy.'**

'Happiness is... not relevant, in this circumstance.'

The daiyoukai was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps rapidly approaching his door, and he almost jumped when he heard the handle turn. Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder, moving to face the intruder when he saw Inuyasha step inside, the door hanging open behind him. The daiyoukai looked him over quietly, wondering what business he could possibly have with him. The inu demons stood in silence, their stares washing over each other as they each pondered what the other was thinking. Finally, Inuyasha took a step closer, his eyes unable to hide their concern.

"Are you... alright?"

Sesshomaru let out a scoff, his eyes narrowing.

"Why would I not be? If that is the only reason you came, then I suggest you leave."

The daiyoukai allowed his eyes to slide close for a brief moment, attempting to get a handle on the emotions that had run rampant seconds before Inuyasha stepped into the room. He started slightly when he felt arms wrap around him, settling at his waist. The daiyoukai's golden orbs blinked open, not surprised to see Inuyasha's face looking up at his.

"Foolish hanyou." He said coldly, making no move to push the half-breed away. "What makes you think you have the right to touch this Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha said nothing, resting his head on the daiyoukai's shoulder. He pulled Sesshomaru closer, allowing his eyes to close as he felt the demon lord's body press against his. Unspoken words hung between them, and the hanyou lightly stroked what he could reach of the daiyoukai's back with his thumb. For a moment they stayed like this, and Inuyasha felt his heart flutter briefly as Sesshomaru's hands come up to rest lightly on his chest, his claws gently digging into the fabric. He could hear his youkai all but purring, content with having it's 'future mate' so close. Inuyasha allowed himself to wonder if Sesshomaru's was doing the same thing.

* * *

Kagome hurried down the corridor, looking around her surroundings curiously. Inuyasha had gone out of the dining hall so quickly... she was vexed. He had left before he had even finished his plate, which was unusual for the hanyou. She had politely excused herself from the dining hall shortly after, worrying about him. He had seemed concerned over _something_, and she just wanted to make sure he was all right. He had been acting funny ever since they _got _to Amatsu's castle— no, ever since Sesshomaru had come into their little group... she wasn't sure what was wrong. And he seemed to be growing more and more distant from her....

"—lish hanyou."

Kagome jumped at the sound of Sesshomaru's voice. She looked around, blinking curiously. The hallway was empty... meaning that they were in one of the rooms. She continued walking forwards, the daiyoukai's deep tones ringing clear once more.

"What makes you think you have the right to touch this Sesshomaru?"

The miko paused at that, wondering why he would say something so odd. She reached a door that was cracked open slightly, stopping to peer inside.

"What are they..."

Kagome froze, her eyes widening at the scene before her. Inuyasha was... Inuyasha was _holding_ Sesshomaru. And Sesshomaru... she raised a hand to her mouth as the daiyoukai lifted Inuyasha's head off his shoulder, moving it until it was directly in front of his. And then... then the daiyoukai bowed his head; tilting it forward slightly as Inuyasha moved upwards until their lips connected soundly. Sesshomaru's hands splayed out over Inuyasha's chest and Inuyasha's sunk just a bit lower on the daiyoukai's waist.

The teen let out a gasp, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. Immediately Sesshomaru looked up, blinking slowly as his head turned and his eyes met hers.

She could feel the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, sadness overwhelming her. She turned from the door, running back down the hall, attempting to get far away from the man who had broken her heart, again.

* * *

Foxgirl: okay! This has been edited, and updated. Again!

Thanks to **neenabluegirl,** and **evelyndark** once again


	15. The Chapter With Too Many Linebreaks

foxgirl: Again, I'm going on vacation... this time to my hometown! Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. This has been edited, and re-uploaded.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: The Chapter With Too Many Line breaks

* * *

"Dammit!"

Chikotsu punched her wall, leaving a sizable dent. She slumped to the ground, running a hand through her hair. Everything was going all wrong. She had spent all night trying to think of something, _anything_ to fix this mess, but she had been unable. She sighed, bringing her knees to her chest. She slid her eyes shut, a frown setting itself on her face as she thought about the face Sesshomaru had worn before he had left from dinner. Amatsu seemed happy enough but... what about everyone else?

She sighed, feeling a bit foolish as tears began to tumble down her flushed cheeks. What did _she_ have to cry about? It wasn't as if she was mating someone she didn't care for— and she wasn't losing the one she loved either, but...

Well. There was nothing she could do about it now, short of _forcing _Amatsu to give up Sesshomaru. And he would never forgive her if she tried that. She cursed herself for being so inadequate, wishing she could do something more. Things would just have to work out by themselves.

A faint noise reached her ears, confusing her slightly as she tilted her head in the direction of the guest room next to hers.

Someone was crying.

Slightly curious, the fox demon walked out of her room, stepping up to the door that held behind it noises of anguish, knocking quietly. She didn't mean to seem nosy, but she didn't want to sit there and do nothing either. Perhaps it was something she could help with. Slowly, the door creaked open, before opening, revealing a slightly disheveled looking girl. Chikotsu's eyes widened slightly.

"...Human?"

"My name's Kagome."

"...Kagome?"

* * *

Morning dawned too soon for any of the castle's inhabitants, streaming sunlight through windows and onto eyelids that were not ready to be opened quite yet.

Inuyasha's eyes blinked open sleepily as his body recognized the day coming, He stretched as he woke up fully, a yawn escaping his mouth. His mind was a bit fuzzed over, his brain working to clear itself so he could think properly without it being clouded by sleep. He reached a hand up to scratch one of his ears lazily, before returning it back to it's resting spot on the bit of skin exposed on Sesshomaru's neck, lightly stroking the soft flesh. He allowed his eyes to close, going over the events of last night in his mind.

Kagome had seen them, he remembered, and she had been crying... he could smell her tears.

"_Kagome!"_

"_Leave her, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru instructed, stepping away from the hanyou. "She probably doesn't want to see you right now." _

_Inuyasha paused, nodding slightly. He looked back to the daiyoukai, allowing his hands to slide off his waist. _

"_...Yeah..."_

_Silence engulfed them for a moment, before Inuyasha focused his eyes on the demon lord as he began to speak._

"_In any case, Inuyasha, I..." He looked away for a moment, his eyes narrowing._

"_You what?" The hanyou prompted._

"_I... feel the same."_

_Inuyasha felt a strange sort of happiness bubble up in his chest. And soon, without any real thought on his part he found himself kissing Sesshomaru once more. When they broke apart, he buried his head in the crook of the daiyoukai's throat, deeply inhaling his scent._

"_You should go back to your room..." Sesshomaru said, finding it hard to keep up his normal, stoic demeanor._

"_I want to stay here for tonight."_

_Sesshomaru shot him a glare, a noise of disapproval slipping past his lips._

_Inuyasha turned scarlet._

"_N-not for _that_! I just... I just want to be with you."_

_Sesshomaru almost seemed a bit taken aback by this statement, a curt nod being Inuyasha's only answer as he made his way to the bed._

And that was how Inuyasha found himself 'sleeping' with Sesshomaru, his arms full of a deeply breathing daiyoukai. His Moko-moko-sama tickled his neck, and the demon lord's hair mingled with Inuyasha's silver strands, creating a ring of platinum around them. Inuyasha moved his hand to Sesshomaru's face, tenderly running his finger along the magenta stripes. The demon lord skin trembled slightly, and the daiyoukai himself let out a soft breath as he turned towards the touch in his sleep. Sesshomaru was to be mated today. The bonding ceremony would be first... where Amatsu would mark the daiyoukai as his, and vice versa. The proceedings were most likely going to be formal, meaning everyone at the castle would be present. And then... then Amatsu would take Sesshomaru to wherever he saw fit for the actual mating. And then Sesshomaru... _his_ Sesshomaru would be gone.

'**I won't allow that to happen.' **His youkai stated firmly.

'But it's not exactly our decision...'

'**Well it should be!'** His youkai snapped.

As if sensing Inuyasha's distress, the demon lord's eyes began to blink open, the red orbs clouded with the haziness of sleep. Inuyasha's eyes met his, and for one, amazing moment, Inuyasha was greeted with a bright smile. However, it was gone as quickly as it came, Sesshomaru's stoic face taking over and his eyes fading back to gold. It appeared his youkai was much better at showing his emotions that Sesshomaru was. Inuyasha resisted the urge to laugh.

He bet they didn't get along.

Sesshomaru yawned, briefly, before sitting up, strands of his hair sticking up slightly, as if they wanted to stay on his pillow.

"...Good morning."

Inuyasha nodded, sitting up as well.

There were a few moments of a very awkward silence, before Sesshomaru spoke his brother's name.

"What?"

A pause.

Then the demon lords eyes slipped close, his face subtly beginning to change. He breathed out slowly, his eyelids slowly opening as he turned towards the hanyou.

"I cannot mate with Amatsu."

* * *

A dark figure sat bored, toying with the ends of his inky black hair. The room he confined himself in was dark, save for two candles sitting quietly beside the doorway. A sinister atmosphere seemed to brew around him, an almost miasma like atmosphere surrounding him. He registered the sound of someone coming nearer, and allowed a smirk to light up his face as one of his many incarnations sat before him, her head slightly bowed.

"Ahh." He purred. "Kagura. So you failed to defeat Sesshomaru, I see."

Kagura winced, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"The hanyou was... too strong, Naraku."

The black-haired half-demon eyed the wind sorceress, thinking silently to himself.

She was lying, that much was apparent. But it was too late to try anything now, as Sesshomaru was most likely back to his original self. Kagura wasn't to be trusted any longer, he could see that now. There wasn't much he could to at the moment, he needed her, regardless of whether she was trustworthy or not. He still needed to recover. It seemed that it would be best to stay hidden, for a bit longer. In the meantime, it appeared that Kagura needed to be taught a lesson in honesty...

(just thought I should let you guys know what Naraku was doing. don't expect to see him in this fic again. Sorry all you Naraku fans!))

* * *

The first thing Amatsu did when he woke up, was steal Shiuchi from the servant's quarters. The demon had been highly alarmed when someone randomly grabbed him from his bed, but once he realized who it was he allowed Amatsu to drag him along the corridors until they reached the library. For a moment, Shiuchi allowed himself to forget all about Sesshomaru, all about the past couple of days. This was just like how it used to be, him and Amatsu doing random miscellaneous deeds of mischief simply because they could. And Shiuchi smiled, laughing as his lord came to an abrupt stop, shutting the library door close behind them.

"Well good morning my lord! What are you so excited about at this hour of the day?" The demon asked, a bright smile adorning his face.

Amatsu turned to him, a wild grin taking over his expression.

"It's today! Today's the day I'll finally get to make Sesshomaru mine."

Shiuchi felt his smile falter.

"O-oh. Right. I mean, that's great, my lord! You've... you've wanted this for so long!" He forced the smile to stay on his lips, even as he felt his eyes begin to sting with the foreshadowing presence of tears as he realized that this was it. This would be the last time he would ever have the chance to... to tell Amatsu how he felt. But... he couldn't do it. He had tried... for three _years_ he had tried. What made right now any different?

"Shiuchi." Amatsu said, his grin bright enough to make the smaller demon want to smile, despite everything. "I want you to be my aid."

The fox demon blanched, his expression changing from straining to be happy to wildly surprised.

"M-my lord?"

Amatsu's smile only grew wider.

"Well, somebody's got to help me get ready for the ceremony, why not my best friend?"

Shiuchi blinked back his tears, bowing slightly as his lower lip began trembling. He bit it harder than necessary, hoping to still it's motions.

"It... would be an honor, my lord."

oOo

Shiuchi hurried from the room as quickly as possible. He _needed_ to get away. He wasn't sure he would be able to handle all this. He was already losing the one he loved, but now he had to stand by and _watch_, prepare him even, make sure everything was absolutely perfect so that he could go and claim another. Shiuchi shut his eyes tightly, attempting to wipe away his tears as they spilled over. Honestly, it just wasn't... well, it wasn't _fair._ He was to meet Amatsu in his rooms as soon as he had taken his 'breather' as he had told the daiyoukai he needed, so they could begin. The ceremony was to take place this morning.

"Shiuchi!"

Said demon turned, sniffing lightly and attempting to look as if he _wasn't_ sobbing his heart out.

"Y-yes milady?"

Chikotsu eyed the servant standing before her hesitantly. What was wrong with _him_?

"Um, I need— are you alright?"

Shiuchi nodded, biting his lip and hoping she would move on with what she wanted.

"I am fine, milady. What do you require?"

Chikotsu sighed, looking downwards. Honestly, she felt like a horrible person, hurting so many people like this.

"Shiuchi... you're in love with my brother, aren't you?

* * *

Kirara had no idea what was going on anymore. She had been just sitting on the bed last night, mulling over in her head about other ways that she could get Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to realize their feelings for each other, when Kagome had run in, bawling her eyes out. And then, not more than two minutes later, that fox demon girl (Chikotsu, she thought.) knocked on the door. Kagome had told her the most _shocking_ bit of information. It appeared that the inu brother's didn't need her help after all! She was so happy for them. Now all there was left to see was how that other demon felt about it— Amatsu. He had seemed pretty smitten with Sesshomaru, this couldn't be easy on him. She glanced towards the door, that was hanging open from Kagome's earlier outburst. Not five minutes prior to Kirara's inner musings, the miko girl had suddenly shot out of bed, murder in her eyes. As if she had just come to a startling realization about what she should do. The two-tailed cat quirked her head to the side, hopping down off of the bed.

She might as well take this opportunity to explore.

* * *

"Sesshomaru... are you sure about this?"

The daiyoukai nodded, walking quicker than usual to the door of his temporary room. He had to find Amatsu. He had to find him and tell him _right now_ that he would not be able to become his mate. It would be impossible. Sesshomaru simply... didn't feel that way about him. (Didn't feel any way about him, really.) It would be unfair to both of them to allow this charade to go on any longer.

"Wait!"

Sesshomaru turned, addressing the hanyou with curiosity in his eyes.

"After... I mean, once you tell Amatsu then... well, uh.. are we— um... do you... want to be my—" He averted his gaze, a furious blush spreading it's way across his cheeks. He crossed his arms, scowling as he tried to compose himself. "Keh. N-nevermind."

Sesshomaru walked back towards him, amusement glimmering in his eyes.

"What were you going to say, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's blush deepened, and he turned his head further to avoid his brother's gaze.

"Nothing! Just forget it"

Sesshomaru allowed a small, brief smile to take over his lips. Feeling an unknown force compel him, he stepped closer to the half-breed, placing a chaste kiss against the hanyou's down-turned lips.

His voice was almost a whisper then, but the words sent a small shiver down Inuyasha's spine, and he _almost_ couldn't help the smile that threatened to break out on his face.

"I would love to become your mate..."

Well. Inuyasha pulled the daiyoukai close to him, going for more kisses that were very far from chaste.

* * *

"Kanna."

"Kouga."

"_Kanna_."

"KOUGA!"

Sango sighed. This game wasn't even fun anymore, and she'd forgotten most of the rules. Something about closing her eyes and trying to find Miroku by shouting out the name of one of Naraku's incarnations. (A/N: Ok. When I was writing the first four sentences I was like, yeah, _someone_ is going to think that I'm making a Kouga/Kanna smut scene. XD) There was also some nonsense about purple dandelions and cheese, but she hadn't paid to much attention to that part.

"Got you!" Sango exclaimed, feeling Miroku's arm somewhere in the vicinity of her front. She opened her eyes, only to be greeted with Miroku shaking his head fiercely.

"No! It's not a _full moon_ tonight, Sango. You'll have to try again."

Sango frowned. "Damn."

Miroku smirked triumphantly. However, suddenly Sango had a revelation.

"Haha! But you're wearing purple! Which means that the rice ball is mine!"

"Dang it! I always forget about that..."

"What in the world are you two doing."

Sango and Miroku turned and looked at Kaede, who was staring at them bemusedly. The two had just gotten back earlier today, and ever since had been trying to do something to relieve their boredom. However this... this was going to new levels.

The monk and the demon slayer exchanged glances, before turning back to her, saying in unison,

"We don't know."

* * *

Shiuchi couldn't comprehend what he had just been told.

If Chikotsu was right, then that meant...

"But you can't tell Amatsu!" Chikotsu warned. "He'll only become upset with you. I'll tell him. I... deserve to face his anger. Not you."

Shiuchi nodded, looking down at Chikotsu warily. He could sense her distress, but wasn't sure what to do about it. He and the lady of the castle hadn't had all that much interaction, other than seeing her in the halls occasionally. Her head was bowed slightly, making her appear even shorter than she already was. He was surprised that he was actually a bit taller than her, as he wasn't of an impressive height himself...

"Milady... if you don't mind me asking... why did you tell me this?"

Chikotsu looked up at him then, a small smile playing on her lips. She sighed, clasping her hands together as she met the demon's eyes.

"Well...if I hadn't interfered with Sesshomaru's life, none of this would've happened. I feel like it's my duty. And, well..." She paused here, before the small look of happiness falling from her face "Between the two of us... at least one deserves a happy ending."

* * *

"Inuyasha, control yourself."

Sesshomaru allowed his eyes to fall closed, attempting to get his breathing to a more reasonable level. Honestly, if the hanyou didn't quit now, he was going to end up being mated before he even got a chance to tell Amatsu he was no longer going to be with him.

Really. His little brother needed a decent lesson on self-control, the daiyoukai thought to himself absentmindedly, as he heard the barely concealed groan he let slip past his lips when he felt hands dipping themselves into his haori, that he could use a lesson on self-control as well. Sesshomaru exhaled slowly, attempting to calm himself when he felt a warm, wet mouth attach itself to his chest. This whole thing was getting ridiculous. He was only humoring the half-breed now, really. A soft noise managed to escape from his mouth, and he swore he could feel Inuyasha's lips turn up into a smirk as he placed kisses on the daiyoukai's collarbone. Sesshomaru attempted a glare, one of his legs moving of it's own accord and wrapping around one of Inuyasha's, attempting to pull him closer. Honestly. He had more sense than this. Inuyasha's ministrations were definitely _not_ sending hot sparks through his body, causing warmth to coil in the pit of his stomach. Deciding that it would just be silly to allow his hands to stay idle, the demon lord moved them, ghosting them along the hanyou's flesh as he attempted to remove the fire rat from his body. Oh yes, Sesshomaru was in complete control of his actions, no doubt about that. He would stop this soon enough. He just wanted to let Inuyasha have his fun before he reminded him of the more important things he needed to worry about. The demon lord was vaguely aware of his leg coming to rest in-between Inuyasha's, even less so of how it started to shift upwards. He _did_ hear Inuyasha's breathy gasp, and that was what made Sesshomaru come to a startling realization.

He had absolutely _no_ control of where this was going. And he needed it to stop quickly, before he allowed something far too rash to happen.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru breathed, gently pushing the hanyou away. Amber met amber, and the demon lord was proud of his strength and resolve to not just say 'fuck it' and hop into bed with the hanyou anyway. (regardless of what the yaoi fangirls wanted. XD) Once he could get his breathing under control, he attempted to further the distance between them, willing his thoughts to become clear. "I need to speak to Amatsu. And I suspect that you will need to... have a talk, with your miko as well."

Inuyasha nodded, resisting the urge to just push Sesshomaru back against the wall. He really did look just _too_ delectable, with his haori disheveled, perfectly matching the quickly turning red marks he had left splattered against his collarbone. Take _that_ Amatsu.

"Keh. I guess." He admitted, not looking forward to _that _conversation at all. "I hope she's not too upset—"

"SIT BOY!"

Inuyasha was slammed to the ground with the force of the magical beads, hearing the door behind him being thrown open. How had he _not_ noticed that Kagome was there? He should have at least smelled her scent, regardless of the fact that he was distracted by other things.

Delicious, lithe, sexy things, or rather, Sesshomaru, who he would love to—

Not the time.

Kagome stood in the doorway, her fists clenched tightly and angry tears streaming down her cheeks. She stomped in the room, oblivious of Sesshomaru's quickly narrowing eyes and even quicker shortening temper.

She could accept him and Kikyo.

She could accept the fact that he had loved her first, and that sort of love was stronger than the kind she had hoped he held for her. She could accept that.

She could _not_ accept, however, the fact that now that she was finally losing Inuyasha, it was to his Sesshomaru. A male, and his _brother_ no less.

"Why didn't you tell me, Inuyasha!"

The hanyou, finally relinquished from the rosary's effects, stood, a guilty look plaguing his eyes.

"I... I thought... I thought that we—" She was cut off as sobs racked her small form, the miko finally submitting to her tears. She fell to the ground, burying her head in her hands as she cried. This was just too much to handle. How... how could he do this to her?

"Kagome..." Inuyasha said, not sure where to begin. How was he going to explain that he was in love with Sesshomaru?

'**So you **_**finally**_** admit it. Kami, it took you long enough.'**

Sesshomaru, seeming to sense that his presence probably wasn't the best idea right then, sent Inuyasha a nod, striding out the door and closing it behind him to block out the miko's tears. He couldn't help it that he didn't feel any sort of remorse towards her. Perhaps if she hadn't abused the hanyou then he would have been a bit more receptive towards her intentions. He mulled this over in his head and thought about it as he moved down the hallway, realizing with a slight chuckle that that was exactly how his and Inuyasha's relationship had began. And, not even two weeks ago, all he would have been able to imagine doing to the hanyou was abusing him. And now they were... soon to be mates.

Huh.

Funny how the world worked sometimes.

'**I hate to say I told you so, but...'**

'Silence.'

"Lord Sesshomaru!"

The daiyoukai turned at his name, realizing that one of the servants was calling for him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I have been looking for you, I've been instructed to get you ready for the ceremony."

The demon lord shook his head, continuing his stride down the hallway. "That is not necessary. Tell Amatsu that I need to speak to him."

* * *

Shiuchi stepped into Amatsu's private chambers, not bothering to knock. He was in a bit of shock, with everything that had been going on. Amatsu was going to be absolutely crushed when he found out that...

The demon looked down, willing himself not to think about it.

"Shiuchi!"

Said demon turned, finding Amatsu standing to his left. He couldn't even bring it upon himself to fake a smile, instead simply ducking his head in greeting.

"My lord..."

Amatsu found nothing wrong with this and beckoned him closer.

"Hey, c'mere. I wanna show you something."

Shiuchi obeyed, moving over until he was standing beside the daiyoukai. Amatsu gestured to the space in front of him, where on a low table sat the most beautiful kimono the demon had ever seen. It was pure silver, the sleeves adorned with a pattern of black crescent moons. The fabric appeared to be of the highest quality material, and Shiuchi found himself unable to resist reaching out to stroke the cloth. Soft to the touch, feeling smooth and like silk beneath his fingers.

"It's... beautiful my lord."

Amatsu nodded.

"I'm glad you like it." He responded, smiling. He took in Shiuchi's shocked expression a moment longer before picking up the kimono from the table, moving it in Shiuchi's direction to hold. "It's for you."

Shiuchi felt his heart flutter.

Really, it was so hard to remain indifferent to the situation when Amatsu went and did things like this.

"M-my lord... I... I couldn't accept such a gracious gift—"

The fox demon was cut off as arms wrapped around him. Amatsu held his friend closely, inhaling his scent deeply as it helped to calm his frazzled nerves. He was extremely nervous. But that was to be expected, right? He had been waiting for this day for so long...

"You deserve it. Thanks for being such a great friend to me, and putting up with all my insufferableness. I guess your glad that now Sesshomaru will have to deal with it, huh?"

Shiuchi felt himself trembling in his hold, the beautiful kimono pressed between them. Time seemed to slow, the daiyoukai squeezing him tightly before letting go. And Shiuchi couldn't bear it. He couldn't take seeing his lord so happy, when he knew the truth. His heart was going to be completely broken. He loved Sesshomaru so deeply, and he had to hear that the man he loved belonged to the heart of another. It was a bit like his situation, when he stopped to think about it. And nobody deserved that kind of torture. As Amatsu turned, most likely to begin preparations for the ceremony, Shiuchi snapped.

He wouldn't be able to see his lord get hurt like this.

A-Amatsu!"

Amatsu glanced down, about to ask what was wrong when he felt the smaller demon collide into his chest. He felt hands fist themselves into his kimono, and where Shiuchi's head was resting on his collarbone he could feel his tears. The silver kimono fell to the floor between them, the fabric resting on Shiuchi's feet.

"Sh-Shiuchi?"

The fox demon suddenly snapped his head up, tears streaming down his cheeks. There was a moment when Amatsu felt adrenaline rush through him, as he watched his best friend begin to break. He desperately wanted to comfort the demon, but he wasn't sure what to do. He hated seeing Shiuchi cry... it sent a stab of pain through his heart every time he was hurt. He imagined it was because they were so close, though he had always wondered. It was worse now, for some reason, because usually, the demon didn't throw himself at him. Generally Amatsu had to be person who questioned if he was alright first.

"Please don't do this!"

Amatsu furrowed his brow, a small frown setting itself onto his face.

"What?"

"P-Please don't do this!" Shiuchi sobbed again, staring up at the daiyoukai with all the strength he could muster. Amatsu was... confused to say the least. He felt Shiuchi's hands clench tighter, while tears streamed down his cheeks. His face suddenly seemed so close, Amatsu wondered if he were going to kiss him. That would be highly inappropriate, he thought to himself. But he couldn't help but wonder why the thought even crossed his mind in the first place. Regardless the demon remained just out of reach, his lips parting as he began to speak once more.

"I love you! I always have!"

The world seemed to stop then, Shiuchi uttering forbidden words that Amatsu never thought he would hear from him. Love? Surely the demon was joking... Amatsu's eyes widened as he stared down at the demon, torn between comforting him or scrambling away. He found he could do neither in his current state. He couldn't find any words to say, watching as his best friend poured out his soul. Surely Shiuchi understood that he didn't feel the same... right? Because... he didn't. And the only reason he suddenly felt so light after hearing those words was because he was shocked. There were a million reasons why they couldn't be together, but the most prominent one was that he, of course, was in love with another.

Wasn't he?

"You're making a mistake!" The black-haired demon continued, his voice growing thick with emotion. "Sesshomaru doesn't feel that way for you!"

Amatsu's eyes grew larger, feeling the words make his heart twinge slightly.

"H-he's... he's in love with—"

A deafening 'smack' rang throughout the suddenly quiet room, and Amatsu felt his blood run cold as he saw Shiuchi's shocked expression. The fox demon fell to the ground, one hand touching the cheek Amatsu had once kissed so tenderly in disbelief as his eyes widened, staring at the floor as if it would provide an answer. The daiyoukai's hand felt _dirty_ as it hung at his side, as if it had just done something awful. The silence grew louder with each passing moment, and Amatsu could already feel a desperate apology lingering on his lips. He shook his head, unwilling to show weakness in this way. It didn't matter that his mind was screaming at him that he had just hit Shiuchi... _his_ Shiuchi... and that never should have happened. He couldn't even imagine hurting his best friend, and yet the evidence of that now sat at his feet. He pushed away all his youkai's protests, stating to himself that that needed to be done. Shiuchi had _no_ right to say how Sesshomaru felt...

"I am your lord." Amatsu growled, baring his fangs. He saw the fox demon wince, and ignored the broken expression taking over his face. He overlooked the demons tears, telling himself that this was what had to be done. He disregarded his best friends posture, recognizing it as the one of someone who had given up everything. Amatsu didn't know what he wanted to say, but the words just seemed to flow past his lips. "You will refrain from acting so roguishly towards me, or you will suffer the proper consequences. Am I understood?" He all but hissed, not paying attention to the awful feeling growing inside him.

He barely registered Shiuchi's head nodding shakily as his hand lowered to the floor.

Amatsu turned after that, stalking out of the room and shutting the door behind him. And the daiyoukai couldn't help his downcast, miserable eyes as he heard Shiuchi's sobs echoing down the hallway.

* * *

"Kagome I... well, me and Sesshomaru—"

"I know." She interrupted, only a smidgen of bitterness creeping into her tone. "You've made that perfectly clear."

He looked away for a moment, choosing to slump down into a sitting position beside her. They were quiet for a few moments, and Inuyasha tried to think of what to say. At least she wasn't sitting him again. That meant she couldn't be too angry. But she just seemed so... sad. The atmosphere wasn't awkward so much as it was miserable, and he heard Kagome sigh beside him.

"I just... I guess I just always had this notion in my head that..."

He turned his head to her, meeting her brown eyes with his.

"That one day we would be together." She finished, looking down. "I realize that was probably foolish... I noticed how close you and Sesshomaru were getting. I guess I just didn't want to see the truth..." She looked up at him again, reaching out towards him, as if to touch his cheek. She stopped just short however, lowering her hand.

"Inuyasha... I love you."

The hanyou was at a loss.

"But I suppose that doesn't change anything."

She stood here, idly smoothing out her skirt as she made her way towards the door.

"Kagome..." He called after her, swallowing thickly as she turned around. "I'm... I'm sorry."

She only shook her head, turning to walk out the door.

"You shouldn't be. It was foolish of me to think that I could have your heart... when it was obvious that it was already taken."

And then she was gone.

* * *

"Amatsu!"

He half expected to see Shiuchi running towards him, but when he looked back he was greeted with the sight of Chikotsu hurrying closer. A frown played at his lips. He didn't particularly feel like speaking to _anyone_ at the moment. He had just found out that his best friend was in love with him, and simultaneously ruined their relationship. He could pass on the idle chatter, thank you.

Chikotsu knew she had to do it now. She had been delaying... she was _nervous_. What if he hated her, after this? He certainly wouldn't believe her the first time. But something already appeared off with the daiyoukai. His shoulders were tense, eyes agitated and upset. He was bearing an expression that clearly said he didn't want to be bothered. This slightly confused her, but she had to press on. Amatsu _had_ to know this, before Sesshomaru himself came up and rejected him... it wouldn't soften the blow any, but it would at least let him expect it. And at least this way, if the inu demon hadn't been sure about how to end their impromptu relationship, he wouldn't have to worry about it any longer. All of the blame needed to fall on her. That way, Sesshomaru could be happy with Inuyasha. And she hoped Amatsu could find happiness with Shiuchi.

"Not now Chikotsu." He growled, attempting to stalk away. The fox girl was persistent, however, grabbing his arm and whirling him around.

"Will you listen!? I have something important I need to..."

She paused here, a faint noise reaching her ears. Her expression went soft for a moment, looking back down at her brother's chambers.

"Oh Shiuchi you didn't..." She whispered to herself.

Her face suddenly turned hard, and she glared at Amatsu with everything she had.

"You bastard." She growled, her fangs flashing in her mouth. "What did you do?"

She hurried away before Amatsu had the chance to answer, seeing her step inside his chambers, the door hanging open behind her.

Amatsu was at a loss. He just didn't know what to do anymore...

He stood still for a moment, before someone else came down the hallway. That... human girl. Inuyasha's bitch.

"Oh, Amatsu..." She said, stopping once she'd seen him. She appeared to have been crying. That was... weird. "Have you seen Chikotsu? I'd... I'd like to speak to her."

Amatsu wordlessly shook his head. He knew his sister probably didn't want to be bothered at the moment, and why should he help this human girl anyway? He had no obligation towards her...

"Ah, and I'm... sorry about you and Sesshomaru. He seems happy now, in any case..."

This caught Amatsu's attention.

"What do you mean?"

She appeared a bit flustered, stopping her walk to look at him.

"Um... well, I just assumed that because he and Inuyasha were, um... together now, that your ceremony thing or whatever would be called off..." She appeared to struggle with the word together, her features dropping into one that he had seen recently before. It was the perfect picture of someone with a broken heart. Amatsu figured his expression appeared about the same.

"W-what?"

Kagome looked up, surprised.

"Oh! Oh, you— um, you didn't know? Ah, I'm sorry! I... I just thought that..."

Amatsu wasn't listening anymore.

That... that had probably been what Shiuchi was trying to tell him. And Chikotsu, now that he thought about it. And.... and he had...! He had hurt his best friend, the person who had always been by his side, just because he was too blinded by his own feelings to listen to him. When Kagome had realized he wasn't concerned about her anymore she had gone off, attempting to find her room by herself. The demon lord took in a breath, knowing what he had to do now. He had to go apologize. He wasn't sure about what he would do about Shiuchi... _loving_ him, but now that he knew he realized that it probably should have been obvious. Kami, was he _always_ that oblivious? He turned back down the hall, slowly making his way back to where he knew Shiuchi was, presumably with his sister now.

"Shiuchi, you don't have to do that."

Amatsu paused, realizing that they were talking. It probably wouldn't be the best idea to barge in on them... he'd just... wait until they were done.

"Milady, I appreciate your... concern, but... but I don't think I should stay here any longer."

The daiyoukai froze.

"Amatsu probably doesn't want me around..."

"Shiuchi, I'm sure whatever he said to you he didn't mean. You mean a lot to my brother, I know it! Sometimes he just isn't the best at explaining his feelings..."

Amatsu stepped away from the door, tuning out the conversation as he walked away. Shiuchi... was going to leave? He found himself overcome with an incredible sadness and stared at the floor as he walked further along the hallway. He couldn't believe that things had gotten so messed up. It was supposed to be so _simple_, so _easy_, and yet, things couldn't be more complicated. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Wallowing in his misery sounded like a good idea, but he knew he had things to do. First of all he had to find Sesshomaru, and make sure that the things that human said were true, before calling off the ceremony, and then... He pinched the bridge of his nose, Shiuchi's hurt expression flashing in his mind. He _couldn't_ leave now. First off his apprenticeship was almost over, he would be taking over for the cook soon. Second, Shiuchi's whole _life_ was here. He was just going to throw that all away? And... and he would miss him... yes, now that he reflected back, Shiuchi's confession of love didn't seem too far fetched. But... he didn't feel the same.

Right?

He had always thought that he and Shiuchi were just really close, like him and his sister. He hugged the demon all the time because it made him feel better... and Amatsu just loved his scent. He enjoyed comforting the fox, and hated seeing him sad. And if he went too long without seeing Shiuchi, well, he was overcome with incredible misery. Just being with him brightened the daiyoukai's day. He loved the adorable way he bit his lip when he was nervous, and the cool way he had of speaking. And he loved the fox demon's eyes, because they reminded him of Sesshomaru's hair... or was it that Sesshomaru's hair reminded him of Shiuchi's eyes? He couldn't remember. He'd been pining after the inu demon for so long that he wasn't sure _why_ he had fallen in love with him in the first place. He sighed, wishing he could get his thoughts straight.

"Mew?"

Amatsu started, looking down and sighing in relief when he saw what had made the noise.

"Oh," He breathed. "It's you."

The human's little two-tailed cat looked up at him curiously, her large red eyes blinking slowly.

"Mrow?"

Amatsu couldn't hold back a smile, going down so that he could lightly pet the creature's head. He sighed softly, averting his gaze as he absentmindedly stroked behind her ears.

"Merrrow?"

The cat placed it's paws on Amatsu's boots, looking at him as if asking, 'What's wrong?'

Amatsu sighed, leaning up against the wall. Sitting in the middle of the corridor wasn't exactly ideal, but he didn't feel like moving, at the moment.

"Ah cat, I don't know what I'm going to do."

Kirara leaned into his touch, urging him to continue with her eyes.

"I'm... confused about someone." He breathed, "Sesshomaru doesn't love me..." He rolled his eyes upwards, wondering how he ever imagined the demon lord did in the first place. It was sort of fairly obvious. A sigh tumbled past his lips as he continued petting the two-tailed cat, gazing up at the ceiling. "And I'm pretty sure I just ruined my chances with the one person who did."

And as Amatsu poured out his troubles, Kirara sat there and listened, 'meow'ing when appropriate and nodding sympathetically when needed. If he needed someone to talk to, who was she to say no? If he was willing to overlook the fact that she was merely a cat, then she would help in any way possible.

Because sometimes, all people really needed was someone to listen.

* * *

foxgirl: Tell me what you think! I know it has a lot of pagebreaks... but I like this chapter! Well, parts of it anyway. And to all those people who asked, I just don't think I have it in me to write a lemon... and even if I tried, you wouldn't want me to. Trust me! Even the part between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in this chapter... well, sucks. I'm only good at writing snippets of fluff... so I'm sorry, but trust me, it's for your own good. Gomen! And I'd be much to embarrassed to ask someone to do it for me... so... yeah. This fic is gonna have to stay 'T'. U^_^ Thank you to **neenabluegirl** and **Evelyn Dark** for all their help.

Vixen: Review please.


	16. Of Foiled Plans and Happy Endings

foxgirl: Just to clarify, yes, this is the last chapter. I was so happy that I finished it! Sorry I haven't updated in, like, forever. But I'm done! Thank you for everyone who stuck with this story until the end. And I want to thank all of my reviewers! You guys really got me through this. :D I hope I see you all again in my future stories!

* * *

Foxgirl: Here we are! Long overdue review replies. Don't worry if you don't get something I say, I literally went back to chapter one and wrote down responses all the way through the story. So the more reviews you left, the bigger your reply is. Everyone who reviewed is here! Thank you so much you guys, I love you all!

Vixen: I don't.

Foxgirl: ...Vixen does too!

**Aachen -** You were the very first reviewer! Thank you so much for your support! I do try for humor. And I know what you mean, there just isn't enough fluff in the world. Thank you! I'm really glad that you liked my story so much. Also, thank you for the suggestion that changed this story as readers know it! ...Well, the title anyway, lol. Hah, I'm glad you liked Amatsu! He was one of my favorite characters. I'm glad you think it's perfect, but really, you're making me blush, lol. I hope that you liked Inuyasha's confession in the end! Is chapter 5 still your favorite chapter? Thank you for the cookies! I did try to name the chapters well, haha. I couldn't resist dissing the magic skirt. I know! I think Shiuchi's adorable too! And don't worry, I'm sure Amatsu'd be gentle, lol. XD I'm glad you found them all so entertaining! I love brightening people's day's. :D Hah, I'm glad you were looking forward to this, but I don't know if it'll lead up to your expectations.

**Pineapple55** **- **Thank you for your help! And agreeing to take up the challenge I issued. Even if you never get around to it, I appreciate the offer. :) Haha, Jaken is a pervert, isn't he? It's so true! We all knew that Amatsu never stood a chance. Yeah, a lot of people seemed to really hate Kagome in this story... U^_^ And I couldn't resist giving fluffy his arm back!

**PandaBelz** **- **Thank you for reading! Lol, Inuyasha's inner voice was one of my favorite characters.

**Princess Sin - **I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I think you're the only person who said that Fluffy deserved to have his demonic power taken, lol. Hah, yeah, I was looking forward to writing about them breaking up Sess and Amatsu. And when Kagome came up with the idea that Inuyasha loved her? Aw, I loved that part! It actually had me laughing, haha! Yeah, I felt bad for Shiuchi too. And Kagome, but it was necessary!

**DarkAngelJudas - **Thank you for all your suggestions and help throughout the writing process! Without you, some of my chapters wouldn't be nearly as good. Thank you for the suggestion for a different title, too. I did feel a bit bad for Fluffy while writing this, hah. And yes, Sesshomaru belongs to no one but Inu! :) And thank you for all your help with chapter 5! I really think your suggestions made it a lot better. Arigatou! Haha, I think Inuyasha would kill you if he heard you say 'my Sesshy', lol. XD They are rather clueless, aren't they? I felt bad for making Shiuchi cry, but what're you gonna do? And yes! I'm pretty sure you gave me the idea to have Inuyasha and Shiuchi work together, so thank you for that as well! Yeah, by chapter 10 everything was just a big mess. XD Yeah, Kagome does ruin things. Of course, all shall be resolved!

**Rethira - **I'm glad it kept you interested! I love it when people are anxious for the next chapter. Of course! I'm pretty sure Kirara is the smartest character in the fic, lol. I love hugs! *huggles* Chikotsu did have some pretty brilliant ideas, didn't she?

**The Deity Ororo - **I do like to please. Thanks for your support!

**The Picture of Dorian Gray - **Thank you! The first chapter of a story is really important to me, so I"m glad you liked it.

**Lola - **Haha, I don't know if it's the best, but thanks for the compliment!

**Henpuku-Hime - **I'm glad you made an account! Lola was you, huh? Welp, I guess you get two review replies, lol. :D Yeah, Inu and Sess's conversations are always fun to write! True, true, Kagome does have a lot of other choices, hah. Lol, an Inuyasha yaoi soap opera. That would be interesting. And you're right! Kirara is definitely the smartest, XD.

**Ladykaa28 - **Thank you for proving me wrong! I honestly thought I was pushing the little plot along a bit too fast. Yeah, but then again, Kagome's always a problem where yaoi's concerned, isn't she? Lol. Yeah, Chikotsu saw the error of her ways eventually. And you're right, Inuyasha probably wouldn't get upset at Fluffy, at least. XD Yeah, I just couldn't bring myself to put Naraku in here permanently. Yeah, everything is just a mess, isn't it? I guess you'll have to read on to see what happens... :)

**petpeeves12 - **Hah, yeah. Their inner youkai's are both very naughty, aren't they? :) Lol. My one friend said that Kagome's reactions were his favorite part! XD Sorry about the jumping between time frames thing, I wasn't quite sure how to fix that. I'm not a big fan of cliff hangers, but I couldn't resist! I think you are the only person who ever felt sorry for Kagome. XD

**yujiyasha - **I'm glad you liked it.

**Spottedstar106 - **Aw! Poor fluffy! Lol. I love your reviews, they always made me laugh. Poor Fluffy. He has no choice but to be followed by 'this spottedstar'! Hah, I think we all want fluffy-chan to be smexily raped by inu-chan!

**royed4eva - **Hah, I'm glad I could make you laugh. I bet people were like, what in the world? Little did they know that it was all because of our wonderful little hanyou!

**pumpkinpi - **Thank you for your title suggestions! I'm glad you liked it. I'm glad you liked Amatsu. And of course they're going to bug Sesshomaru, if they didn't it wouldn't be any fun, now would it? Hah, I couldn't resist having Miroku elaborate on Sesshy's nickname, it was too tempting. XD Amatsu is a bit of a goofball isn't he? Yeah, I kind of abused Inuyasha throughout the whole story... but it made for good comedy! Lol. Yeah, around that time I was wondering what was going to happen as well... :) Shiuchi has to confess eventually! I could never just leave that loose end untied, haha. I think Sesshomaru just likes stepping on the little people. XD yes, it seemed that Shiuchi discovered a hidden talent with his seductiveness! Hah, Kirara had so much to say. Too bad people don't listen to her more often. XD

**twilightserius - **Thank you! They are rather cute, aren't they? Nope, it seems that they will never get a break, lol. I'm sure Kouga would love this situation, once he realizes that she's up for grabs, hah!

**avid-reader21 - **I love it when characters are taken out of their comfort zones. It always ends up being hilarious. XD

**Nilyenea - **I'm glad you liked it. Hah, I don't think I can write a story where Inuyasha doesn't go through some sort of trouble, lol. :)

**SugaMama09 - **I'm glad it's one of your favorites! Honestly, when i first started writing it I had no idea what direction this was going to go in, lol. Hah, a lot of people really hate Kagome in my fic, for some reason. :)

**May - **I'm glad you didn't think I made him too weak, I was a bit afraid I was doing that. :)

**Chibi Tsuki Hikari - **I know! I really like fanfics where Sess is the uke, but there aren't a lot. I'm glad you liked it!

**EspeonDark -** First of all, I really like your username! Ahem. Also, I'm glad you liked the story! Sorry I couldn't update as quick as most people would've liked. U^_^

**deadlyviolin - **Thank you! I know it wasn't soon, but I've updated, lol. I'm glad I made you happy!

**Rei'ot The Rei Setsudamura/Lady NoarikoMurisaki - **I'm glad you liked the story. I know I didn't update for a while, but I haven't given up! Just looking at the reviews you left make me go aww! I'm so happy you liked it so much!

**Rei-chan94 - **I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for all your encouragement.

**noodles579 - **I'm glad you like the story so much, sorry for keeping you up so late!

**Rin's Adoptive Mommy - **Yeah, that was one of my fav parts too!

**Guardian-Euaii - **I know you say you're review 'doesn't count' because you're my friend, but thanks anyway. And NO, I am NOT adding Kikyo to this story. Geez. (shakes head)

**Inuyasha'sChic - **Nope nope nope! I would never let Kagura kill Fluffy! Fluffy IS cute! Absolutely adorable, in my opinion. Though he'd kill me if he heard me say that. XD

**Gabe - **Hah, yeah. Sess is just a tad bit OOC throughout the whole thing. But it's awesome! =D

**sessinulover - **Inuyasha was hooked on Sesshy from the first chapter, lol. I'm glad you like my style!

**mochiusagi - **Yay! I was so happy when I got to write them kissing. I think they were confused ever since chapter 2, haha. Yeah, something about uke's crying just makes you go aww.

**Y4OIfangirl-icyblue - **I'm glad you like my writing! The storyline just hit me one day and I was like: ...Yes! And magenta stripes was born. XD

**sonata hirano - **Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

**Evelyn Dark - **Thank you for all your help! I don't care if your a grammer nazi, you really helped me out! Thank you so much! *huggles*

**Amanda Saitou - **I'm glad you liked it. I didn't want to rush into things. And thank you for your help with my Inutaisho/Izayoi story! Yeah, Amatsu's nice and all, but we all know that there's no one for Sesshy but Yasha-kun! Of course there shall be more kisses!

**DeathxNotexLover - **Haha, yeah. I rather enjoyed writing Kagome's parts.

**bleachTHEsky - **Yeah, everything was getting all tangled up! Finally, after five chapters things are finally straightening out, lol.

**Nameless Little Girl - **I'm glad you loved it!

**lucidity-and-sarcasm - **Haha, that makes me feel special! :D I'm glad you liked it so much

**whiterice76 - **I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for all the fluffy uke stories, XD 'HOLY FISHPASTE'! XD I laughed so hard when I read that. Of course Amatsu shall stop him!

**Chibs - **Haha, I'm glad you liked it! I was very proud of Shiuchi for making that plot. It's about time he stood up for himself, lol.

**dreamcatcher-fluffysama1 - **I'm glad you enjoyed the story! I really like the part with Amatsu and Shiuchi in the garden, hah. Haha, you must hold a special place in your heart for your hatred for Kagome, huh? lol. And I'll have you know, it was thanks to you that I got your idea for parts in the last chapter, so thank you! Sorry I didn't update as soon as you wanted me too!

**Animelover6000 - **Yup yup! I just had to give him his arm back. I'm glad you liked it!

**Ashlan - **Yes, yes he does.

**KatzeIason69 - **Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

**Demitria Miriam - **I'm happy that you liked it so much. Yes, it was awesome to write them FINALLY admitting how they felt. Geez it only took them what, 14 chapters? lol.

**xxBloodAngelxx - **Hah, really? Man, people just don't like Kagome, do they? I'm glad you like the story! And I love the word 'anywhozzles'!

**Catra T. L. Heaveno - **I'm glad you liked it so much!

**chick - **I felt bad for Kagome too, though I think we're the only ones, hah. Of course, I must progress Shiuchi and Amatsu's love! I'd hate myself if I didn't. :)

**JSinuyasha - **I'm glad I could get you more into the pairing! I don't know, I used to not like them together at all, but then something clicked and I was like, hey! This is adorable! lol.

**Seriyuu - **Yepperdoodles! Those two couldn't have bad luck forever!

**britachisbride -** I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, I felt really bad for Amatsu, but eh, what're you gonna do. Everything will work out in the end!

**The ExclamatoryPanda - **o.o I am seriously enjoying your username. Thanks for the suggestion, and I'm glad you thought it was god!

**Matin gris de ciel - **I'm glad you like them! Yeah, usually I don't lik OC's either. And I know what you mean, I'm not a big fan of male pregnancy either (obviously). And I think that a good romance isn't complete without fluff! I'll have you know that I shall never get decent sleep! Never! ...At least not until school starts again, lol. ...And even then, probably not, haha. Right now it's 1:20 in the morning... U^_^

**Mai Darling Dearheart - **Really? You almost cried!? That makes me feel so special! ;_; thank you!

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Of Foiled Plans and Happy Endings

* * *

"Amatsu, we need to talk."

The fox daiyoukai didn't need to look up to know whose voice that was. He continued looking down, petting the two-tailed cat that had listened to him spew out his troubles. Kirara mewed, nodding once towards the inu demon before sauntering off. Amatsu stood then, brushing the imaginary dust off his pants as he turned to Sesshomaru. The large halls of the castle seemed extremely quiet as they stood there not saying a word, both just staring at the other with an unreadable look in their eyes.

Finally, Amatsu sighed.

"Yes, I believe we do."

Sesshomaru moved a stray strand of hair out of his face, sighing lightly before beginning to speak.

"I can't be your mate Sesshomaru, sorry."

Sesshomaru blinked.

He definitely had not said that.

"What?" He asked, forcing himself to get over the slight shock he had just experienced.

Amatsu shrugged, tilting his head to the side slightly and offering a sad smile.

"I just... don't think that things are going to work out between us. It's best if we just part ways now."

Sesshomaru was sure he looked slightly confused, but focused on trying to respond. Amatsu gave him a sort of knowing look, before turning in the opposite direction.

"If you'll excuse me Fluffy, I have... important business to take care of."

And like that Amatsu walked off, as if out of his life, and Sesshomaru was floored with the knowledge that perhaps the fox demon wasn't as dull as he had originally thought. He supposed that this made things easier, but he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit guilty for the absolutely miserable expression that had lingered in Amatsu's eyes.

Sesshomaru turned, strolling back down the hall the way he had come. The thought crossed the demon lord's mind right then, that he really would enjoy seeing Rin again, and perhaps Ah-Un as well.

...Alright, and Jaken too.

And he was filled with a pleasurable feeling upon realizing the simple fact that he _could_. No longer was he powerless, forced to rely on everyone around him for help. He looked down at his left arm, raising his hand a bit before he slowly clenched it into a fist, uncurling his fingers one by one as something that could be called a smile passed over his lips for a brief moment. Of course, had it been caught, Sesshomaru would deny it. It was absolutely ridiculous to assume that the daiyoukai would show any sort of emotion whatsoever, of course. However, he couldn't help but feel a bit smug as he altered his course slightly, sauntering off in the direction of Amatsu's father's room. It was quite easy to assume that the whole mess had been something of his idea, and he couldn't wait to rub in that the whole thing had just blew up in his face.

...Of course he would do it tactfully and elegantly, making sure to use lots of big words that would make him sound extremely smart and Sesshomaru-like, because that's what he did.

Idly Sesshomaru thought, as he tossed his head to the side lightly, his platinum hair swaying, that this was the best day he had had the pleasure of experiencing in a while.

And the thing that made it even better, was knowing that after the whole ordeal was over, Inuyasha would be there.

And here, Sesshomaru allowed a content look to pass over his face, blinking slowly as he savored the warm feeling in his heart.

'**See, Sesshy? Doesn't it feel good to be out of denial?'**

'Silence.'

* * *

Kagome was currently heading back to Kaede's village.

As soon as she had managed to find Kirara, they had both struggled to find the entrance to the giant manor, before taking off into the air, Kirara eager to see Sango once more. She knew that Inuyasha wouldn't worry about her, and if he did, he could just follow her scent. She had no idea what he and Sesshomaru were planning on doing next, but she did know that she had no part in it. She would go back to the village, and when Inuyasha returned, they would continue hunting for the shards of the Shikon jewel.

The half-demon wouldn't just forget about that, and if Sesshomaru was going to be coming along in their little group well, then...

Kagome let out a breath.

She would deal.

If Inuyasha didn't return her feelings, there was nothing she could do about it. The only thing she could do was smile at Sesshomaru, and be happy for the both of them.

It would just... take a little getting used to.

Kagome didn't mean to be unsupportive, but after all... they were both _guy's_!

* * *

Chikotsu sighed softly, heading back to her room while she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

Everything was over now, it seemed. The elaborate plot had unfurled, and had left approximately three people downhearted and broken. She would count herself, if she only knew the reason why she was feeling so miserable. Perhaps she was... jealous. Jealous that she did not have anyone to share secret kisses with, like Sesshomaru did.

But that was irrelevant.

She spotted him out of the corner of her eyes, the demon lord himself, heading for her parents chambers. This surprised her slightly, but she decided to follow him anyway, knowing full well that the inu demon most likely sensed her presence. But that was all right. If he didn't want her there, he would say so. And if not, then she was going to find out precisely what he was going to do, or rather, what he was going to say to her father.

Because she _knew_ that that was who he was going to be speaking to.

She saw him enter the room after knocking and waiting for a reply, (she was sure he would have entered had there not been one, in any case) and she hurriedly ran over to the door, pressing her ear directly against the surface of the wood as it closed. If she listened hard enough, and stilled her breath, she could just barely hear the inu daiyoukai's even voice.

"Syaoran." He said in greeting to her father.

"Sesshomaru. And to what do I owe this... pleasant visit."

He would be getting angry now, Chikotsu knew, because if Sesshomaru was coming to see him that meant that something was wrong.

"I have come to tell you that I will not be residing in your castle any longer— it is time my... mate and I took my leave."

The vulpine could see her father's face now, could imagine clearly his puzzled look, the tense jaw.

"You and Amatsu are welcome to stay here, Sesshomaru."

"...Whatever gave you the impression that I was speaking of Amatsu?"

Now Syaoran's knuckles would be turning white the strength he was using to clench his fingers around the arms of his chair.

"If you will excuse me. As I said— I must be going."

Chikotsu suddenly felt drained. She slumped against the wall next to the door, staring at her bare feet in thought.

She only wished that she had the strength to speak to her father in such a manner— with the flippancy that Sesshomaru had used, appearing not to give a care about the imposing demon. She shut her eyes for a moment, before opening them at the sound of the door. She wasn't at all surprised when the inu demon stepped out, glancing down at her before continuing down the hallway. He couldn't have known the impact his actions had on her. With effort she stood, staring at the daiyoukai's back.

"Wait, Sesshomaru."

The demon lord turned, one platinum eyebrow rising. Chikotsu bowed her head, staring at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I mean— for what I did. Had I not attacked you like that, you would have never had to go through this mess." She paused here, her eyes glancing to the side. "And... and I wish you and your brother the best."

Sesshomaru paused for a moment, and the two stood there, no words passing between them.

And then the daiyoukai gave her a nod, before continuing his aristocratic walk, looking every bit as powerful as she knew he was.

Chikotsu turned, imagining that going for a run outside would be good.

She still felt like she should be talking to Shiuchi but... he had asked to be alone, and she would respect that.

* * *

Inuyasha thought, that in retrospect, he couldn't be happier to be leaving Amatsu's castle. As the servants closed the doors behind him, the hanyou couldn't help glancing over to Sesshomaru while suppressing a smile. The daiyoukai looked as he normally did as they both walked away from what had been the most... _interesting_ two days they had both had in a while. (A/N: Wow it was only two days?! o.O) They walked closer than they normally would, their hands brushing lightly as they swayed against each other. Personally, Inuyasha didn't care if Sesshomaru didn't. And it seemed the demon lord didn't, for he made no comment. Also, if it made any other indication, the daiyoukai's hand seemed to have 'accidentally' snagged his, lightly lacing their fingers together as Sesshomaru stared up at the clouds.

A bemused expression crossed Inuyasha's face, and he pulled the daiyoukai in for a chaste kiss, followed by whispering something softly into the daiyoukai's ear.

"Hey Sesshomaru. You remember that cave we stayed in— after I was bitten by that demon?"

Oh, yes. Sesshomaru remembered that cave all too well.

And it seemed he remembered where it was, too, which was really quite convenient. Quite convenient indeed.

* * *

Shiuchi felt that he should move.

Or, at least go somewhere else.

He didn't think that Amatsu would like it if he were still in his personal chambers when he returned. But for some reason he just couldn't bring himself to. Oh, the tears had stopped long ago— he was more reasonable than that. He should have expected that sort of reaction, and he realized that he should have thought more logically about the whole situation. He had always preferred to be realistic about things. For now, the fox demon sat— cross-legged on the floor— clutching the beautiful silver kimono close to him. He allowed himself a few more minutes of simply sitting there, reflecting on his stupidity, before standing. He sighed, neatly folding the kimono and placing it back on the table where it had originally been. He ran his hands through his hair, smoothing his fingers through the purple fabric of his haori.

Then he turned, stepping towards the door and opening it with a small exhale of breath.

And there, standing on the other side was the person he needed to see leas at that moment.

But his heart seemed unaware of this information, speeding up anyways at the unexpected appearance.

Amatsu frowned awkwardly when he saw the demon, reaching a hand out as if to touch him— but stopped just short, allowing the offending appendage to drop back to his side. Shiuchi didn't meet his eyes, unsure what to expect.

They didn't say anything for a long while, both standing just on the other side of the doorway, so close, and yet both had never felt so far away from the other.

Finally, Amatsu steeled his nerves, his hands clenching into fists.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted, bowing deeply to the fox demon. Shiuchi took a step back in startled surprise, not quite expecting the outburst.

"What?" He managed, congratulating himself on sounding normal.

"I'm sorry." The fox daiyoukai repeated, taking a small step closer to the demon. "I had no right to do, or say those things to you."

Shiuchi didn't know what to do.

"B-but my lord—"

"I can only hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me."

"O-of course my lord, but—"

"I mean it, Shiuchi."

Amatsu looked at him meaningfully. He was fully inside the room now, looking into the fox demon's eyes as he fidgeted nervously.

Shiuchi shook his head, still looking away.

"I shouldn't have... said what I did, my lord. You were... you were perfectly justified in your actions—"

"Shu, _look_ at me."

Shiuchi looked up then, noticing the positively helpless expression in the fox's eyes, how unsure he seemed. The daiyoukai appeared to consider something for a moment, before stepping forwards, tentatively circling his arms around Shiuchi's form and pulling him close. Just having the demon next to him calmed his nerves greatly, and Amatsu wondered if he realized what effect he had on him.

"M-my lord?"

Amatsu shook his head.

"You're lying. I did what I did out of anger... when you were only trying to tell me the truth. I beg of you to forgive me— I'd... I'd really like things to go back to the way they used to be."

Shiuchi wasn't sure whether to feel happy or miserable.

"Well... with one exception."

The fox demon felt Amatsu pulling back from the embrace, almost instantly missing being held by his warmth. He could scarcely believe that Amatsu wasn't still angry with him— let alone that he was _begging_ him for his forgiveness. And Shiuchi knew... that he was being sincere. Amatsu had never been cold to him before, and now he was desperately attempting to atone for the one time he had. His feelings be damned, he was simply glad that the daiyoukai still wanted to be his friend.

"What is that, my lord?" Shiuchi asked, looking up at Amatsu's red eyes curiously.

Amatsu found himself growing warm, and was aware on some level that he was steadily turning a bright red color. He noticed Shiuchi's look growing confused at his blushing, but Amatsu forced himself to speak.

"I... was so blinded by my feelings for Sesshomaru, that I never noticed what I needed was right in front of my eyes the entire time. Even if he had felt the same way, I don't think it would have been enough..."

The fox daiyoukai stared evenly into Shiuchi's eyes, noticing the silver orbs sparkling with an unknown emotion. Amatsu smiled as he noticed Shiuchi biting his bottom lip, gently running his hand over the demon's cheek.

"Sesshomaru doesn't make me feel like you do."

Amatsu placed his hands at Shiuchi's waist, feeling as if he was _finally_ doing something _right_. He could feel his youkai purring contentedly as he leaned his forehead against Shiuchi's.

"Do you think... would you give me another chance, Shu? A chance to... to _love_ you... like I should have all along?"

He believed, by the arms thrown around his neck, and the press of lips he felt against his as tears rolled down the other's demons cheek, that that was a yes.

Amatsu had done a lot of thinking, after his little chat with Kirara. The only solid conclusion's he had come to were: 1) he needed to have a talk with Sesshomaru, and 2) he really, desperately needed to tell Shiuchi how he felt. He honestly couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed his feelings before, but they were there— buried beneath the feelings of affection that the inu demon had evoked. He felt immense relief that Shiuchi dubbed him worthy of another opportunity to prove to him how he felt, and his heart felt amazingly light.

Moreover, as he stood there, kissing Shiuchi as he held him close, Amatsu realized that he felt the best that he had in days.

And he was sure that, from now on, his days would only continue to get more and more interesting.

* * *

In the cave that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had found once more, things had started innocently enough.

First it was only kissing, which soon turned to touching, which led to gasping and groaning as they realized soon enough that the obi's could be untied, and hakama's discarded, and why hadn't they thought of doing this before? Neither was concerned with the amount of noise they were sure to be making, but Sesshomaru made an attempt to stay tactfully quiet, unsuccessful as he was, as small, pleasure filled whimpers escaped his lips. The temperature rose about ten degrees, they were sure, but it was alright because skin was sliding against skin and everything felt so _good_ and moans and grunts and shouts of the others names were the only thing they could communicate in for a very long while. Sesshomaru thought to himself that Amatsu's kisses couldn't even _compare_ to Inuyasha's, and the half demon found himself finally able to give in to his desires to touch the demon lord as freely as he wished, ravishing the others body as he confirmed that, yes, his older brother was perfect, and he had every reason to be as arrogant as he was.

Afterwards they both lay panting on the ground, Inuyasha reveling in the fact that the daiyoukai was finally _his_, and his youkai's contented purring and comments weren't as shunned as they had been before. He couldn't keep his eyes off the small mating mark he had left on Sesshomaru's neck, and just knowing that he was the one who had placed it there was enough to send tingles running through him. He was aware of the similar mark on his collarbone, and he was certain that Sesshomaru was aware of his eyes on him. Inuyasha didn't care, however, simply content to trace his eyes over his older brothers form as his breathing slowly went back to normal.

The daiyoukai turned to look at him, one eyebrow rising slowly at his intense gaze.

Inuyasha only smirked in response, moving closer to connect his lips soundly with Sesshomaru's once more.

No, they probably wouldn't be getting back to the village that night.

* * *

Sango sighed as she finished her latest masterpiece, setting aside the picture just as she put down the green crayon she had been using.

Shippo had been coloring, and Sango was bored, and you really couldn't blame her. Miroku was out about the village— most likely womanizing again, she thought to herself— and Rin was amusing herself by making a crown of flowers for when her lord returned.

Night was quickly coming upon them, and Sango frowned when she realized how Shippo's pictures somehow managed to look so much better than hers. She was interrupted in her sulking by a shout, and turned around just as Miroku burst into Kaede's hut, yelling something excitedly. Lady Kaede glanced at him curiously as he shouted out in one breath,

"IcanseeKagomecominginthedistancewithKiraraandSesshomaruandInuyashaaren'twithherbutshe'sbackandthatmeanswe'llhaveathirdplayerinourgame!"

Sango was out the door before Kaede was finished deciphering the first three words.

"Kagome!" She shouted, running towards the quickly growing blob in the distance. As she and the monk continued running towards it, the blob grew easily distinguishable into the miko and the two-tailed cat. Once she was close enough to them, Kirara landed, quickly changing back and bounding over to the demon slayer.

"Mew!" She meowed happily, jumping onto her shoulder. Sango laughed happily, petting the top of Kirara's head gently.

Kagome smiled at the two, but the gesture didn't quite seem to reach her eyes.

"Lady Kagome, we're happy you've returned." Miroku said cheerfully. "However, might I ask, where is Inuyasha? ...And Sesshomaru?"

The teenager sighed, beginning to walk past them into the village.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon." She answered, managing to only sound slightly bitter, leaving her friends wondering what was wrong with her _this_ time.

Shippo jumped into her arms excitedly when he saw the miko coming towards him, as Rin gave her a gentle hug. The miko sighed, glad that they had reached Kaede's village so quickly. She suspected it had something to do with the fact that Kirara hadn't needed to track where anyone was, this time. She and the others made their way back to Kaede's hut, the miko greeting the woman accordingly.

"Kagome, my child. Where have ye been?"

The teenager forced a smile, beginning to explain to everyone what had happened at the castle, to the best of her abilities, with her limited perspective.

As things turned out, Kagome's prediction ended up being correct.

oOo

The next day, Rin found herself sitting cross-legged in the area just outside Inuyasha forest, staring intently at the tree-line. Shippo had gotten bored mere minutes ago, going off to help Kirara catch that ever elusive butterfly she had had her eyes on.

But the small girl was content to sit, her hands clasped awkwardly together as she focused all her energy at the task she had given herself.

Lady Kagome, had come back, she had thought, a bit confused. So of course, her next speculation would be, where was her lord? All the miko had said was that she had left them behind, and they should be back soon.

Well.

This didn't satisfy Rin at all.

So she sat, and she stared, and she kept repeating her lord's name like a mantra, hoping that he would come back to her. She was certain that he wasn't _hurt_, no, her lord was much too resourceful to be injured during this journey. So that meant he was being held up. But she desperately missed the daiyoukai, missed his secret smiles and curt nods, his kindness. So she mumbled a little wish, to herself, all alone in a field.

"Rin misses Lord Sesshomaru." She began, quietly. Thinking about that sentence for a moment, she changed her words a bit. "Rin _really_ misses Lord Sesshomaru, and she would really like it if he came back, please." She nodded, satisfied with this small hope.

"Please."

She looked off into the woods again, unconsciously fidgeting as she sat.

And then, she saw it.

A flash of silver.

And Rin, after being outside for a mere fifteen minutes, let out a tremendous shout of, 'Lord Sesshomaru!' and ran off.

Sango and Miroku followed her trail with their eyes, smiling gently when they saw Inuyasha walking out of the forest, with Sesshomaru by his side. The two looked exactly the same, yet different. When Rin reached the demon lord, she embraced him the best she could with her tiny size, as he placed his hand on the top of her head for a moment, tenderly saying her name. Soon enough the contact was broken, however, and they continued their walk back to the village, Rin babbling about some sort of crown that she had made for him.

Once the two demons grew closer, the monk and the demon slayer strode over to them, each extending their own greetings to the half-breed, and afterwards, the daiyoukai.

"I'm glad you two are back." Sango spoke, a smile taking over her face. "Things were getting boring here without you!"

Miroku nodded his agreements, before a naughty smirk took over his face.

"So, Inuyasha. Which one of you was bottom?"

A look of shock and bewilderment crossed onto the half-demon's face, before he began turning red.

"What the hell, Miroku!"

Sesshomaru had the grace to look embarrassed, looking away from the trio in favor of staring at the sky, which was suddenly very interesting. Miroku's grin grew wider, and Sango soon began smirking as well.

"...Wait..." Inuyasha said, after a moment. "How did you—"

"It was quite obvious, Inuyasha. Though I wasn't sure until just a moment ago." Miroku said nonchalantly, as Inuyasha fumed. "And personally, I would think that you were bottom."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed, his arms crossing angrily. He sent a furious glare at the monk resisting the urge to say anything he might regret.

"Really?" Sango added. "I'd think it'd be Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru shot her an irritated look, walking away from the group with a mumbled, "Insufferable." He forced down his embarrassment at the human's questions. Because even though he could kill them all (really! He could!), he didn't want to upset Inuyasha by dismembering all his little friends.

Inuyasha followed shortly after, his face burning crimson, and Sango shot Miroku a glance, a smug look on her face.

"You know Miroku, I win."

"Oh?" Miroku questioned as they began to follow the two demons.

"Yup." Sango replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "They came back together, and I'm sure Kagome already knows, with the way she's been acting. So, I win."

Miroku sighed, wondering how in the world she had remembered their stupid little bet

When all of them reached Kaede's hut once more, before they could step inside, a small voice stopped them all in their tracks before they could step inside.

"Lord Sesshomaru? What did they mean by which one of you was bottom?"

Sesshomaru shot Rin a glance, completely unsure of what to tell her. There was awkward silence for a moment, and Sesshomaru considered turning around to find a hole to go die in. Really, was it possible to suffer so much embarrassment in less than three minutes?

Fortunately— or maybe not so fortunately— the slayer stepped in.

"Well, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are... married now. And we were asking them which one was going to be the wife."

Rin nodded in understanding.

"Oh! So Lord Sesshomaru's going to be a mommy! Ooh, ooh! Does that mean that I'm going to be getting a baby brother?"

"No Rin." Sesshomaru snapped, stepping inside the hut to be rid of all the people outside.

Honestly.

Even Rin was against him.

As they all went inside Kaede's hut after Sesshomaru, each one glanced at Kagome's face to see her reaction. She and Kaede were sitting together, and the miko only sent the incoming group a wide smile, pointing to something in her hands.

"Welcome back, Inuyasha! I made ramen."

And just like that, the awkwardness was gone.

Everyone took his or her normal seats around the space, Sesshomaru sitting next to his mate as he declined the human food Kagome offered. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but didn't comment, and everyone chose not to say anything about the fact that the two were sitting far closer than was necessary. Things went about normally, (or as normal as things could with the demon lord's little group added) Inuyasha stuffed himself full of ramen and Miroku was slapped silly by an angry— yet secretly pleased Sango, and Rin and Shippo entertained themselves by playing with Kirara outside. Ah-Un watched the little group, as Jaken bemoaned the loss of his lord to that 'flea-bitten' hanyou.

So of course, someone would have to say something to ruin the normality.

"So Inuyasha, is Sesshomaru going to be hunting the jewel shards with us?"

Inuyasha _was_ going to scoff, but he was cut off by Sesshomaru's words.

"That depends." The demon lord began, glancing at the miko. "Are _you_ going to be there?"

...At least, that's what he wanted to say. But he figured that everyone in the room would die of a heart attack after hearing him crack a joke. So he settled for something more in character.

"...I suppose." Sesshomaru eventually said, choosing his words carefully. "Rin would miss the kitsune if we left."

The daiyoukai heard the hanyou beside him growl, and felt an arm snake around his waist. He glanced at his brother with one raised eyebrow, almost feeling like smirking (keyword being _almost_) when he saw the scowl plastered onto his face. Inuyasha _knew_ he was downplaying the whole situation, of course, but that didn't make it any less adorable when he felt miffed.

Sango couldn't help the tiny smile that grew on her face.

Inuyasha, upon noticing that he was doing something that counted as affectionate and cute, immediately wrenched his arm away, stuffing them both in his sleeves and looking away from his mate, resisting the urge to blush furiously, settling instead for scowling up at the roof of Kaede's hut. He was _not_ affectionate, _or_ cute, and anyone who insinuated that he was would be hit full blast by the wind scar.

Really. How dare anyone even suggest that he was anything other than powerful and awesome.

The hanyou's scowl grew deeper, and continued eating his second cup of ramen without commenting.

Kagome smile only grew fonder, before she looked away from the new couple. Really, she just couldn't be angry anymore. And besides, she had taken solace in thinking about the look on Kouga's face when he found out about the two. _That_ would certainly be a sight to see. And Kagome ate her ramen, snickering quietly to herself, as Inuyasha wondered why in the world she was suddenly laughing. And the hanyou unconsciously moved closer to his chosen mate, Sesshomaru pretending not to care as he absentmindedly watched Rin. Kaede babbled on about some new sort of herb she had discovered, and its medicinal properties while Shippo happily gave Rin the picture he had been coloring earlier.

And things, odd as it seemed, appeared to be perfectly normal again, between the little group; Inuyasha, asking Kagome for more ramen as per usual as the miko crossly explained to him that he had already had _four_ servings, and _other_ people needed to eat too. Yes, things were as they should be, all of them bound together by their unique differences. And everyone seemed completely at ease while normality returned to the feudal era.

"Inuyasha, I sense shards of the Shikon jewel!"

...Then again, when had things in the feudal era ever been 'normal'?

**The End  
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Foxgirl: So yeah, that's the end of Magenta Stripes. I ended up writing a lemon, I hope it wasn't too terrible! It was pretty innocent, I think I can keep this story 'T', what do you think? I hope you liked the ending! And no, I don't think I'm going to write a sequel. I would have no idea what to write about, and I think you can all pretty much assume what happens after that. Thank you for everyone who stuck around until the end! Thank you for a final time, to neenabluegirl and Evelyn Dark for all your help.

Vixen: (takes in dramatic breath) ...Thanks. Review please.


	17. Whatever Happened To Chikotsu

Foxgirl: **Ladykaa28 **requested something showing what happened to Chikotsu, so here it is. Just a short little thing, sort of cute.  


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The wind combed through her hair and she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as she ran over the rocky terrain.

She wondered, if Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and Kagome had made it back safely. Most likely, she thought to herself. It was unlikely that the lord of the western lands would be attacked anymore, now that he was restored to his full strength. Chikotsu slowed, her eyes opening slowly. She was in unfamiliar territory now, but that was alright. She was positive that she could handle any youkai should one decide to attack her. And she still had those leaves...

Reaching a hand up to her hair, Chikotsu pulled it out of it's ponytail, allowing her orange-colored locks to hang about her shoulders. She looked down at her feet, sighing softly as her eyes began to water for the second time that day.

Honestly, she couldn't ever remember crying so much.

Why in the world was she so depressed?

"Hey!"

Chikotsu turned, sniffing lightly. She hadn't been paying attention, and now, more than likely, some youkai had snuck up on her. She sighed. Though frowned slightly when she saw who it was.

He didn't look familiar, his black hair pulled up into a ponytail similar to the one she had just taken her hair out of. He wore various wolf pelts, and she could just barely see a brown tail hanging idly behind him. He was scowling, blue eyes looking into hers suspiciously.

"What're you doing in our— are you _crying_?"

Chikotsu blinked, before realizing that, yes, she was crying, and making a complete fool of herself.

She turned her head, wiping at her eyes.

"No." She mumbled crossly, slightly upset that this... this _wolf_ demon had found her at one of her weaker moments. She heard him stepping closer and kept her ears alert, wary of his movements.

"Are— uh, are you okay?"

The fox demon glanced out him out of the corner of her eyes, a bit confused by the expression on his face. It was a mixture of worry and bewilderment, with a hint of suspicion in his eyes. The fox sighed lightly, before plastering on a smile, turning towards him with her green eyes flashing.

"Of course!"

The wolf looked at her suspiciously, crossing his arms.

He thought, idly, that she reminded him an _awful_ lot of a certain orange-haired wolf.

Only less annoying.

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk growing on his face.

"And you're lying to me because...?"

"Wha— _lying_? Are you saying that you think I'm _lying?!_" Chikotsu exclaimed with mock sarcasm, placing a hand on her chest as if to say, 'Me? Lie?!'.

The wolf chuckled for a moment, his arms uncrossing.

"Fine, don't tell me. But you do realize you're in my pack's territory?"

The female vulpine frowned, letting out a breath. "Right, sorry. I didn't even notice..." She turned, beginning to head back the way she came. She had to face her father sooner or later, after all. And she might as well get it over with.

"Hey, wait!"

Chikotsu glanced over her shoulder, wondering why she had been stopped. The wolf still stood where he had before, one arm outstretched as if reaching for her. He pulled it back, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"What's your name?"

The fox demon furrowed her brow, wrinkling her nose slightly in confusion. He took a step closer, his tail twitching behind him.

"Well?"

"Um... Chikotsu."

He held out a hand, and she, taking the hint, reached hers out as well, glancing down when he grasped the clawed appendage, bringing it up to his mouth briefly. She felt a blush threatening to overtake her face as his lips brushed her knuckles, but willed herself to stay impassive, her ears twitching.

He smirked.

"The name's Kouga."

Chikotsu smiled as she drew her hand back shyly, wondering if perhaps things wouldn't turn out to be that bad after all, as Kouga's smirk stretched into a grin.  


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Foxgirl: Alright! NOW I'm done! We can all guess what I'm hinting at here. And don't say anything about, oh, now who will Kagome have?! Hojo is still there. And HE'S actually from her time!

Vixen: Do you always do everything your reviewers tell you to?

Foxgirl: ... maybe... :D


	18. Magenta Stripes Two: Indigo Moon

'Ello! Foxgirl here. So, liked the story? I hope so! If you did, then please check out the sequel, Indigo Moon. You can find it here: .net/s/5660474/1/Indigo_Moon

=D


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